


'X

by StruckedByLightning



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Angst, Baekhyun - Freeform, D.O - Freeform, Drama, EXO - Freeform, EXO-K, EXO-M - Freeform, Kyungsoo - Freeform, Lay - Freeform, M/M, Minseok - Freeform, Robot AU, Romance, Sci-Fi, Suho - Freeform, Xiumin - Freeform, Yixing, robotau, xiubaek
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-05-20
Updated: 2017-12-08
Packaged: 2018-06-09 14:26:17
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, Underage
Chapters: 10
Words: 25,557
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6910885
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/StruckedByLightning/pseuds/StruckedByLightning
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>"How can someone who's not made out of flesh and bones, or even possess a heart give you the most unconditional and sacrificial love?"</p><p> </p><p>After a tragic accident that led to the death of Kim Minseok of Mechatron Incorporated who was one of the leading scientists of Medical Research and Nanotechnology, Dr. Kim Junmyeon, a dear friend and colleague of the latter devised an experiment on Artificial Intelligence to find cure dealing with medical and psychological treatments to those who have been experiencing the loss of loved ones and emotional breakdowns.</p><p>One of the people who were the first to receive and be tested on the experiement was none other than the lover of the late scientist, Byun Baekhyun, a male model and known celebrity who couldn't move on nor accept that Kim Minseok, his lover, is indeed dead.</p><p>Baekhyun must now learn to heal as Dr. Junmyeon issued the first AI created to ever possess: Unconditional Love.</p><p>This AI, was Project 'X', also known as Xiumin.<br/>A robot with the same physical structure and voice as Kim Minseok.<br/>A robot who was made to love Baekhyun.<br/>A robot who learns how to love.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

    
  
  
  
                                                  

 

 

* * *

 

 

  
**PROLOGUE**

 

“To create Artificial Intelligence has been a dream amongst all since the beginning of technology, innovation and science” Dr. Kim Junmyeon, a well-known and highly respected scientist paced slowly along the aisle. He brushed his fingers under his chin, making sure to give eye contact to each and every one he was addressing in the room; may it be the interns who popped their heads from the railings towering above them, the government officials who took great interest in every words that came out from his mouth or his colleagues whose eyes twinkled with curiosity and eagerness to the proposal he had been planning for almost five years.

  
Junmyeon continued to walk at least five steps to the end where a very notable person in his eyes sat. He blinked twice at Dr. Junmyeon before the latter spun around with the heel of his foot and paced back to where he stood from the start.

  
“From being mindless primitives discovering fire,” a couple of chuckles resounded from the room as Junmyeon pressed on, “to writing and now look where we are. Building rockets, trains, planes, finding new curatives for replenishing our health from diseases. Mankind, is extraordinary indeed” Junmyeon turned around once more, his eyes darting over to the man sitting on the far edge of the room again who clamped his legs together and swallowed whole. “But mankind doesn’t stop there, no. A scientist can never stop their desires in discovering and inventing which is why, for the past years we have developed to create robots”

  
The corner of Junmyeon’s lips curled.

  
“Artificial Intelligence, now that is the word that pries up the ears of every scientists. It was because of Artificial Intelligence that led to the progress of mankind into creating your Nanny bots, your Robocops, your Military Droids. All of these were achieved because we have found the secret to Artificial Intelligence”

  
A couple of slurs and gossiping whispers echoed in the room with heads leaning over to each other’s ears and eyes wandering around to see each other’s absurd reactions.

  
“The Artificial being is perfectly simulated; they are quick in motion, articulate in speech and also in human response” Junmyeon briskly made his way and grabbed hold of the man on the far edge and pinched his skin.

  
“Ouch!” the man shrieked upon feeling the stinging pain Junmyeon inflicted upon him and yet, the man quickly reverted into his normal poker face as if being pinched had never happened to him.

  
“And even pain memory response” Junmyeon tried to reach out to pinch the man once more, but the man quickly hopped away from Junmyeon’s reach causing an uproar of laughter across the room. Junmyeon pulled a chair out from one of the audience’s and offered the man a seat and he gladly took it.

  
“Do you have a name?” Junmyeon smiled at the man who blinked twice once more.

  
“Lay” the man replied. He blinked twice, harder this time. There was another eruption of whispers and astonished gasps littering the room, but Lay never broke his interlocking gaze at Dr. Junmyeon.

  
“Then tell me, Lay” Junmyeon bent down to look at Lay straight in the eyes, “How did it feel when I pinched you? Did you get hurt? Angry? Sad? Were you about to cry?”

  
It took Lay a matter of a minute whilst cocking his head to the side as if he was trying to find the answers in Junmyeon’s eyes for his own question. There was nothing running in Lay’s mind, only more questions with answers he failed to recognize and register.

  
“I do not understand what you mean” was all Lay could reply.

  
“How did it make you _feel_ Lay, when I inflicted _pain_ to you?”

  
Lay merely blinked and that was all Junmyeon needed before he ordered Lay to stand up. Junmyeon led Lay to walk in front and face the audience who all with great anticipation and expectant eyes followed wherever the twosome went. Junmyeon slipped out from his pockets a knife and handed it over to Lay who without hesitation gladly swiped it from his hands.

  
“Lay, cut yourself” Junmyeon commanded and Lay did as he was told, “Lay, stab yourself” but before Lay could pierce the tip of the sharp knife to his chest, Junmyeon quickly halted him and Lay dropped the knife to the floor. Had it not been for Junmyeon’s command, Lay might have died – or so that’s what they all thought.

  
“You see _this_ is the problem” Junmyeon pointed at the knife and back onto the cut Lay inflicted to himself, “Mechatron Incorporated has developed the highest form of Artificial Being. We have conducted over one hundred models starting from the Nanny Bot up until to _this_ ” Junmyeon raised Lay’s non-existent bleeding hand in the air. “We have finally achieved a _Mecha_ that can serve, react and follow the array of every day human life”

  
A round of applause erupted from the room as they marvelled at Lay, one of the first Artificial Intelligence that resembles and responses like a human being, like an _Orga_. An _Orga_ is what humans referred to as “living things” while _Mecha_ on the other hand is referred to “non-living things” under the influence of machinery and electricity such as Lay himself.

  
Lay however, couldn’t comprehend nor calculate what they were all applauding about and that had Junmyeon to further continue on with his speech.

  
“We are proud of our creation. He is beautiful, isn’t he?” Junmyeon brushed his fingers over Lay’s shoulders, trailing every bit of the exact replica of human skin plastered over the metallic exoskeleton that held Lay together and with every new patch of skin he glided through, he could remember very well the hardships he and his colleagues all went through just to finally have Lay walking and talking now.

  
But it wasn’t enough.

  
“And yet, what does it amount to? So what if we have a Mecha such as him who looks human, talks human, breathes human and yet, he still is so far from _being human_ ” Junmyeon then pulled out from his pockets a round silver metal ball with a haunting hazy blue glow virulently coming out from its core. Junmyeon held it up for everyone to see.

  
“ _This_ my friends holds the key to Artificial Intelligence. A sensory toy, infused with behavioural circuits, pattern mimicking using neuron-sensory technology. With _this_ ball, the _Mecha_ can possess the abilities of response to each action we take” Junmyeon lowered his hand back down and eyed the ball in his hands with full fascination in his own creation. 

  
One step to what he would like to call: _Perfection_. He narrowed his eyes at the ball, staring at it where he could watch the future in front of his eyes, the answers to all scientist’s dreams. A glorious ticket for him to be called a God himself. He gripped the ball tight in his hands and said, “I believe if we can infuse and map this intelligent technology, we can go cross boarders to achieve the goal we thought is impossible for _Mecha_ and mortal creation”

  
Junmyeon then turned to Lay who in all alertness snapped his head to look at him.

  
“What is Love?” Junmyeon asked Lay.

  
Lay merely blinked at Junmyeon. The scientist smiled at him, knowing too well that this robot in front of him, had no idea what _love_ was.

  
“Love?” one man called out from the back of the room that had everyone’s heads to turn their attention, “Excuse me, but haven’t we achieved that already? I mean, we have at least five hundred of their models shipped around the world and dare I say, the night customers are all thrilled and very much happy with their _performances_ in and out of bed”

  
Chuckles rose from the corners of the room.

  
“And quite frankly, I think our models are all being used up and over heating with frequent visitors who wouldn’t stop for hours in the company of our love-making robots!”

  
That alone had the whole room exploding with green-minded chortles. Junmyeon raised his index finger causing everyone to cease their chuckles. He pursed his lips into a straight line and popped it open before walking back down the aisle.  

  
“Ah yes. Our “love” making robots. Such a success to us all isn’t it? Not only do robots serve us breakfast in bed and watch over our children, but we’ve also developed robots that could _pleasure_ us” Junmyeon chuckled to himself. “But the _love_ I’m referring to however is more complicated than that”

  
Junmyeon nodded solemnly, fondling the ball in his hands with almost too much of great care – too much.

  
“Love is abstract is it not? Love can mean a lot of things. Love can mean the sunrise, love can mean the coffee you drink everyday, love can mean the hand of your wife or the game console your little boy has on his seventh birthday, the eyes of your parents or even the bark of your puppy” Junmyeon stares at the ball as if he could see the future in it, blurring everyone in the room except for the thing in his hands.

  
“The Love I want to achieve is far more…complex” Junmyeon closes his fist and stares up at Lay who held that stoic face. Junmyeon smiled as he approaches Lay. The robot did nothing as Junmyeon caressed his face, ever so tenderly and held his hand.

  
Junmyeon sensed the incredulous looks he was receiving from everyone in the room. So, he started without looking away from Lay’s robotic eyes, “Five years, and my research is finally complete. If Lay doesn’t feel anything with the way I hold his hands, tomorrow, he will respond in a more natural way”

  
“What do you mean?” asked one person just a person away from them.

  
“I’ve always wondered how robots could live amongst us in a more _organic_ way. How they will respond in endearments, in little things such as hearing the laugh of a special someone” Junmyeon lets go of Lay’s hand and turns to the crowd. “I have achieved the most complex love there ever was blessed on human kind”

  
Everyone was silent and attentive, anticipating whatever it was Junmyeon wanted to say. To finally hear what he has to say after five years of gruelling research.

  
Junmyeon held the metallic ball in his hands tightly as if the answer to the universe was in the palm of his hands.  
  
“ _Unconditional Love”_

 

 

 

 

 


	2. Chapter One

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

                                                                                
  
  
  


There were hundreds of blank faces surrounding Byun Baekhyun the moment he stepped inside the building. All of them pulled out their cellphones and took this opportunity to capture even just a strand of his hair. Baekhyun didn’t mind any of it no, he was used to it anyway - being the face of countless billboards after all came along with the package of the oceans of eyes following him everywhere.

He was a man who craved for attention, he wanted everyone to gape at him when he passes by, but right now, he didn’t come to Mechatron Incorporated to steal everyone’s eyes. He only came for _one_ person and only _one_ person he desperately wanted to _look at him_ \- and that, was the hard part.

Baekhyun easily got inside the laboratories of Mechatron with no trouble of having to deal with security. Employees of the company would sometimes glare at him for having such an easy access into the deepest parts of the strictly forbidden laboratories even to those in the highest ranks of the company. Unbeknownst to them however, that Baekhyun didn’t even _care_ what lies behind the far reaches of Mechatron. He never even had the slightest clue on whatever was happening around him as he passed by endless tubes and people walking in long white lab coats.

  
He didn’t even want to be here honestly; Baekhyun never did take interest in robots. He always found it odd to see screws, bolts and scrap metals come to life. He sometimes even loathe them for all they do is stare at you with those expressionless mechanical eyes that sends shivers and creeps him out to the point that he forbids himself to step into Mechatron.

  
But fate, didn’t stop him from falling in love with a man completely opposite to him. A man who found robots lovely, who admired the _Mecha_ to be walking and talking. That man was the only reason he dared enter Mechatron. That same man was the one he so earnestly wanted to call the attention of on the other side of the glass in front of him.

  
A scientist notable among many by the name Kim Minseok for his outstanding inventions for Neuro-sensitivity and Nanotechnology for Artificial Intelligence and Medical Research, a prodigy at such a young age and now was one of the leading scientists in the whole world, was the only person Baekhyun wanted to have the attention amongst all. But being the ingenious scientist he was, his attention span for social life was limited only to seconds – and horrifyingly can be less - for his focus only pours out into understanding how to find ways in developing the most advanced technology there is unknown to man.

  
Kim Minseok has trapped himself in the laboratory and his unwashed laboratory coat for days figuring out how to achieve his most desired goal and dream to have a cancer-free world. Truth be told, Dr. Minseok was on the borderline of accomplishing this world-saving task that he couldn’t take his eyes off not until he could scream: “Eureka!”

  
Not even a tap of his assistant’s finger urged him to shoot his head up. He merely hummed to acknowledge that he felt his assistant call his attention. That was enough to make Baekhyun grit his teeth and flush in complete anger and disappointment.

  
_'Look at me, look at me idiot'_ Baekhyun curses in his mind, watching the assisstant constantly poke Minseok.

  
“Excuse me, Dr. Kim? Uhm…someone is here to visit you” his assistant says. Minseok didn’t bother to look up.

  
_‘Of course he wouldn’t’_ Baekhyun glowered at the scientist who took his time with his papers before actually jerking his head up – probably because the assistant must’ve mentioned it was the famous Byun Baekhyun there to pick him up.

  
The scientist gave him a lazy smile that caused the male model rolling his eyes – his usual reaction. Baekhyun lifts the bag of mocha cakes he held and pointed, hoping that Minseok would get his message – he didn’t.

  
Baekhyun slapped his forehead and stomped his way to lean by a nearby wall and Minseok took it as a sign to put his lab coat down. Baekhyun didn’t look happy at all, and he didn’t want his temper to explode inside Mechatron. So, without any other choice – and hoping to stop a war before it could even happen, he went outside.

  
“Good Afternoon Puppy” Minseok pressed his lips over Baekhyun’s mouth giving him a chaste kiss as a greeting. Surely that would erase that frown he was wearing – he failed. Minseok raised his brow, “What’s wrong pup?”

  
“Don’t you ‘what’s wrong pup’ me, I’m disappointed in you” Baekhyun narrowed his eyes, piercing an invisible laser through Minseok.

  
Minseok cocked his head to the side, completely clueless. “What did I do now?”

  
“Stop acting all innocent bastard” Baekhyun pinches his eyes and grates his teeth, “You didn’t come home. _Again_ ”

  
Minseok chuckles, “I apologize, I was working all night in diffusing a-“

  
“Stop making excuses” Baekhyun growls and crosses his arms. “You’ve been sleeping in this lab for _four nights_ straight Minseok. _Four nights_ for crying out loud!”

  
Minseok held that lopsided grin he has, his eyes sparkling as he listened quietly to him. Baekhyun scowls, seeing how oblivious he still was. For a genius, Baekhyun thought he was really stupid not noticing how hurt he is, no matter how hard he tries to scream at Minseok’s face, the scientist doesn’t seem to get it.

  
“You always ignore me, Minseok. Why do you do that? I’m starting to think you’d rather spend time with these…” Baekhyun grimaces as one robot closely resembling a human passes by. “… _metallic junks_ rather than with  _me_ ” 

  
“Is that Mocha cake?” Minseok beams at the bag Baekhyun was holding.

  
Agitated and with tears threatening to fall after being ignored, Baekhyun leans away from the wall, shoves the bag of mocha cakes in Minseok’s arms and starts stomping away. When Baekhyun snaps back, Minseok was out of sight. He was tossing his head left to right in search of the missing scientist. He was boiling in anger.

  
“Marco!” Baekhyun calls out. A game they usually do whenever they have to look for one another.

  
A few moments later, Minseok finally calls back, “Polo!”

  
Baekhyun’s ears pried up and he briskly stomped his way to find Minseok already munching on one of the mocha cakes and staring back into the laboratory where one of his colleagues was standing behind the glass busy tending to one of the discharged _Mechas_ on top of the gurney.

  
Upon noticing Baekhyun’s lingering presence, Minseok calls him over without taking his eyes off of the Mecha. “Puppy, look at this. I want you to see how the neurosensory chip is infused into the ‘brain’ of the Mecha so they could walk, talk and react like- “

  
When Minseok shot his head up, Baekhyun already turned his back and began walking away from him. Baekhyun couldn’t believe it, even if he already showed physically to be here and spend time with him, Minseok was still so engrossed on these Mechas. Baekhyun wanted to repress the heartache slowly shredding him inside.

  
“Puppy” a couple of loud footsteps resounded from behind him as Minseok runs after him. “Hey, pup wait up”

  
Baekhyun kept walking. He didn’t want to stop. Not now, not in here in this godforsaken Mecha-infested place where Minseok’s attention only focuses on walking metals.

  
“Puppy” Minseok calls again.

  
_Puppy._ It was a sweet name-call Minseok coined on their second date. Minseok said it so lovingly when Baekhyun wore a fuzzy brown sweater that complimented well in giving emphasis of his puppy-like eyes and mouth, but those weren’t the only reasons why Minseok associated Baekhyun in being a puppy. One more thing was-

  
A warm hand lay on top of Baekhyun’s head that had him freezing in his place. Minseok had caught up with Baekhyun. The scientist gently pats his head and strokes Baekhyun’s hair like a caress that the latter couldn’t help but be stoned in place and let his cheeks stain a bright red.

  
“Puppy” Minseok leans close to his ear, his warm breath pressing against his cheek.

  
Baekhyun wanted to scream, wanted to run, but whenever Minseok calls his name, pets his head, he grows weak and his heart melts away as the butterflies take over his stomach.

  
“Puppy”

  
“Yes?” Baekhyun clears his throat, trying to hide the obvious tone of weakness in his voice.

  
“You know…” Minseok inhales deeply. “…you’re going to miss how they demonstrate the Mecha’s locomotor skills once it’s alive and working and-“

  
And just like that, the moment was ruined. Minseok reverted to his nerdy-old self and began explaining how the Mecha functions that Baekhyun couldn’t help but snarl at him and jerk away from the hand patting his head.

  
“Baek-“ Minseok’s eyes widened, completely oblivious to the reason why Baekhyun was upset. “Hey, what’s wrong? The Mecha laboratory is _this_ way”

  
“To hell with you Kim Minseok! I. DON’T. CARE” Baekhyun finally explodes, hissing at Minseok and grinding his teeth, the tips of his ears turning a vile crimson that matched his cheeks.

  
“Hey, take it easy there pup” Minseok was taken aback. He raised his hands in hopes of calming Baekhyun down for the other employees were starting to give them incredulous looks and some of the AIs had halted on their tracks as well. “Look, you’re going to disturb the Mechas”

  
“Oh, disturb the Mechas” Baekhyun laughs sarcastically – painfully to be exact – when he noticed Minseok eyeing one of the AIs who was observing them from afar. “Sorry to _disturb_ your walking _trashcans!_ ”

  
“Baekhyun don’t-“

  
“They’re _robots_ , Minseok. They won’t get hurt no matter how many insults I throw at them, unlike me-”

  
“Technically, they are Artificial Intelligent Beings-“

  
“I do not fucking care!” Baekhyun flails his arms in the air in pure frustration. “They cannot comprehend _human_ _emotions_ unless you program them to have one. They wouldn’t understand why I’m angry with you because their knowledge of the human expression is far beyond their reach”  

  
“Baekhyun, do you even know why they’re called Artificial Intelligence?” Minseok crosses his arms as he cocked his brow and a lopsided grin that deeply offended Baekhyun in so many levels.

  
Baekhyun grimaces. “Do you think I’m stupid, Kim Minseok?”

  
The smile Minseok had immediately dropped. “No, I would never say anything like that. I was merely saying- Look, I understand that the idea of Artificial Intelligence can be a bit technical and-“

  
“You still don’t understand me!” the frustration was beginning to sting Baekhyun’s eyes as water clouded all around them into a silver line.

  
Minseok’s forehead creased, taking a step toward Baekhyun. “I’m trying to understand pup, if you would just stop getting so-“

  
“Angry? Wow! You can actually understand emotions?” Baekhyun laughs bitterly, “I was beginning to think I was talking to a _robot_ , a _mecha,_ an _artificial being_! Oh wait, maybe _you’re_  actually a robot Kim Minseok! Maybe that's why you're so engrossed with your own kind!”

  
“Byun Baekhyun” the tone of Minseok’s voice changed as his face contorted into irritation and a warning. “Stop provoking yourself and just…” he sighs exhaustedly, seeing Baekhyun hold that painstaking fake smile, “…just tell me what it is _I’m_ doing wrong”

  
“ _Everything!_ ” and it was at that time that Baekhyun broke down into sobs, the tears finally streaming down his cheeks. He bows his head down to stare at his feet and let the droplets of tears fall on the floor instead.

  
He couldn’t see what Minseok’s reaction was, but he didn’t care right now. He just wanted to let out the frustrations he had cooped up inside for the past months. Baekhyun couldn’t blame Minseok though for making him feel this way, he could only blame himself.

  
Minseok didn’t say anything. Baekhyun however, managed to whisper softly – too softly, “Nothing…”

  
He knew Minseok was better off spending his time in creating The Cure for cancer and using Nanotechnology and Artificial Intelligence. It has been his lifetime goal, his dream worth achieving for a better medical alternative, a better world.

  
Baekhyun found himself selfish and ashamed for getting angry at Minseok, from hindering him from achieving this life-changing task just so he could borrow him for just a second when clearly every second Baekhyun takes away from Minseok, hundreds of people with cancer dies every day.

  
_Everything_  Baekhyun was angry at was not Minseok, rather, the world who was depending on him - him alone. Baekhyun grew jealous of the world's eyes turning on Minseok and the latter in return, had his eyes only on them. To make the world better, disease-free, innovative and healthier.

  
But he couldn’t help it. He wanted to be selfish even just a split second to have Minseok pay attention to him. **_Look at_ _him_** _._ It was  
all he asked for, just a second longer for Minseok to actually _stare_ at him with those beautiful hazelnut brown eyes of his and he’ll be contented. Unfortunately, Minseok was busy looking into solving other problems far larger than this petty little thing he asks of him.

  
He was Kim Minseok, a well-known genius and world-class scientist and his duty is to this godforsaken decaying world, for the people who live in it. Baekhyun would always come second in his priority list. He has accepted it, but Baekhyun still couldn’t grasp the idea that the man he loved, the man he craved the attention for will never look in his way like he used to.

The hallway was silent and only Baekhyun’s broken and breathy sobs filled it. Baekhyun almost found it pathetic of him to cry in public like this – he always found himself pathetic when it comes to Minseok as well.

  
Minseok however, never thought of him that way. Instead, Minseok hated himself in seeing Baekhyun like this. He knew too well that it was his own fault in making Baekhyun act like this, having him cry. He didn’t mean to, but somehow, saying to himself that he doesn’t mean to hurt Baekhyun only leads to causing him even more pain than he realizes.

  
With enough courage and his heart panging in his ears, urging him to speak, Minseok says, “Puppy. I…I’m sorry if I-“

  
“No, you don’t need to-to apologize Minseok” Baekhyun murmurs, wiping off the tear with his sleeve without looking up at Minseok.

  
Minseok takes a step closer only for Baekhyun to retreat. “Pup, look, after all this, after finding the cure, I swear I’ll- I’ll hurry it up and I’ll come back for you and then we can finally spend our time together, I’ll make up all those days where I wasn’t beside you. Baek, please, wait a little longer and-”

  
“No, it’s alright Minseok. I can wait, truly” Baekhyun raises his head, tears overflowing his eyes as he smiles brightly – the smile that had Minseok’s heart sinking. “Go, go and share your knowledge to the world”

  
“Pup…” Minseok takes another step close, but Baekhyun held up a hand.

  
“I’ve been selfish and…I know that what you’re doing is for the greater good. Heck, I’m damn proud of you Minseok, I truly am” Baekhyun wipes the corner of his eyes again, “You’ve been dedicating your life, your ideas and endless time for people you don’t even know and I’m proud, so proud to have you as my boyfriend. You’re so kind and beautiful in your own ways”

  
Minseok remained standing there, holding back his own cries of protests, but he knew far too well that Baekhyun wouldn’t want this to end with the both of them crying again in Mechatron. They’ve stirred enough trouble, he wouldn’t want to make it worse.

  
“I wish…I wish you could _look at_ me Minseok and see…” Baekhyun whispers softly, as if he never intended to say these words out loud. Nevertheless, he smiles brightly even though his very heart was shattering inside. “I just wished that…the whole world could see that I want them to share even a small piece of _you_ to me”

  
And right there, Minseok’s mouth dropped into a frown and his eyes stung with water. It ached him to see Baekhyun like that, holding in all the anger, neglect and loneliness he was feeling only to cover it up with a smile. Minseok hated it.

  
“Puppy-“

  
_Beep. Beep. Beep._

  
The phone in Minseok’s pockets started vibrating. Baekhyun’s eyes abruptly darted over his pockets and silently urged Minseok to pick it up, but the latter shook his head in protest. Minseok wanted to reach out to Baekhyun, hold him close and feel his warmth again, but-

  
“I’ll see you later at home then? You _will_  come home right?” Baekhyun chuckles softly as he sniffs, his smile unwavering as if crying never even happened to him.

  
“Baekhyun” Minseok reaches his pockets, digging out the vibrating phone. Minseok flips the phone open to cease the vibrations that was starting distract him, so he could finally focus solely on Baekhyun.

  
"I wish after this is all over..." Baekhyun says slowly, "...you can finally have some time with me"

  
Minseok swallows hard seeing Baekhyun chuckle bitterly more to himself. Minseok wanted to come close, he wanted to tell Baekhyun how sorry he was, how much he wanted to hold him close as well but-

  
“I love you Minseok” Baekhyun broke his gaze from Minseok. He turns around as another set of tears slammed into him, “Bye”

  
The world had gone silent, there were no sounds, not even breathing or blinking could be heard as Baekhyun started walking away, away from Minseok who was watching him disappear from his line of sight.

  
If only Baekhyun stopped and turned around, he would finally see that he caught Minseok’s attention. If only, he could see, that finally, Minseok was _looking at him._ And _only_ at _him._

 

 

 

 

 

 


	3. Chapter Two

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                              

 

 

 

 

 

_“I’m damn proud of you Minseok. I’m proud to have you as my boyfriend. You’re so kind and beautiful in your own little ways”_

  
Those were the words that echoed and rippled endlessly, transcending through Minseok’s mind. A mind filled with equations, formulas, probabilities and damning solutions for the people who needs him, The People, The _World_ and only to be shattered with the voice of the most important _person_ in his life.

  
Minseok had been unconsciously biting his nails with the words Baekhyun sombered at him earlier as he rode a two-hour plane trip from Mechatron Incorporated after receiving a call from his big time colleague, Dr. Kim Junmyeon, Director of the Artificial Technology of Human Response in Mechatron.

  
_‘Baekhyun, I’m sorry’_ was all he wanted to say again and again once he comes home into the arms of his lover. He knew the months of being apart and solely focusing in finding The Cure to Cancer would pay a price such as Baekhyun feeling neglect and that one day, he might fall out of love for him. Minseok knew the risk and took it with his free-will even if it means sacrificing his time to be with Baekhyun, because he knew, deep down, with just enough time, he can fulfil his dream. He could save millions of people – and maybe, _himself._

  
Minseok, was a victim of Cancer and it terrified him every day.

  
There was a harrowing shock penetrating through his spine, an impact so great that Minseok had to take a sharp intake of air and tried his best in keeping the agonizing scream he wanted to let out.  He knew, the attack was starting up again.

  
Minseok quickly scrambled on his arms and searched for the suppressants he produced for himself to keep his Cancer from attacking him. He took out a white inhaler that carried thousands of nanobots with the temporary medicine infused in them. Minseok inhaled the spray of medicine and sunk into his seat in the plane, trying not to fidget and cry in pain, smacking a hand over his mouth to keep quiet as the nanobots tried fighting.

  
_Unbearable_ was an understatement to the intense and gruelling pain he experiences every day. His Bone Cancer and tumor were growing worse every week that passes by that there were times he would scream into the heavens that God can claim him if he could.

  
But, Minseok knew that trying to call Death wouldn’t stop the pain he’s experiencing, no. He knew that the pain will only pass on, and the thought of it was worse than tolerating his sickness. Minseok cannot bear to die knowing Baekhyun in the end, will suffer and grieve tenfold.

  
He didn’t want to tell Baekhyun. He wanted to, but he lacked the courage to see the colors of his lover’s beautiful face to be drained, to see those puppy eyes grow sad if he ever discovered that he had Bone Cancer and that he was slowly dying. _Slowly dying._

  
_“I wish you could_ look at me _Minseok and see…”_ Baekhyun whispered to him.

  
“I am, I am looking” Minseok closes his eyes and digs into his pockets. His fingers wrapped around a small velvet box, the only comfort he could cling to as the nanobots served as his painkiller. Minseok pulls out the small velvet box, wincing and grimacing in pain as he did so and pulled himself up to sit up straight as he opened it.

  
_“I wish after this is all over…you can finally have some time with me”_

  
A golden ring engraved with his unspoken promises to Baekhyun glistened in the sun’s afternoon light that broke into the plane’s windows. A ring, he meant to give when the time was right. A ring he wanted to slip into Baekhyun’s long, soft and delicate fingers as a promise, that he’ll dedicate his whole life _looking at him_ and _only him_. An engagement and wedding ring, he wants to give to Byun Baekhyun and be selfish enough never to share him to the world.

  
_“I love you Minseok”_

  
Minseok’s grip on the velvet box tightened as his heart started pounding faster and faster in his chest and the pain in his spine were being overshadowed by the thought of Baekhyun’s smile and a future he could see right into the golden ring in his hands.

  
“Don’t worry puppy,” he breathes heavily, finally finding a sense of comfort from his back. “I’ll find a cure. I’ll get rid of this goddamn Bone Cancer and I’ll quit Mechatron, so I can make up for the days I’ve been missing where I’m supposed to be with you”

  
He closes the velvet box as the pilot announces a five minute ahead preparation for landing in the Capitol.

  
_“No cancer’s going to take me away from you Baekhyun. I’m not going to die, not while I need to tell you, look at you straight in the eyes, how much I want to spend the rest of my life with you”_

 

* * *

 

 

Minseok arrived at the Green Octagon, a well-known fifty-five floored hospital in the center of the Capitol and the first ever hospital sponsored by Mechatron who supplies newly fabricated medical-oriented Mechas and Nanotechnology every month.

  
Doctors, Nurses and even Mechas who roamed around the lobby all greeted Minseok warmly as he strode inside. The place was huge and welcoming, clean and most importantly, well-stocked in imported and rare medicines and finest medical machinery.

  
One of the doctors, a woman, went to greet Minseok as an escort to take him to Dr. Kim Junmyeon. He followed suit, making sure to tuck his unauthorized suppressants deep down in his bag.

  
“Is there somewhere you wanted to stop by first Dr. Kim before we meet with Dr. Kim Junmyeon?” the woman asks from over her shoulder.

  
Minseok nods. “Yes. Is there any way we can stop by room 2306 first?”

 

* * *

 

Three to four knocks was all it took before a tall, tanned young man opened the door. If it wasn’t Minseok, one might mistake this young man in front of him as an _Orga_ – a human, but deep down under that beautiful tan skin, those blazing brown eyes, well-toned body, strong jawline and handsome face lay a meta-skeleton and internal wires crafted by scientists and engineers of Mechatron.

  
This Mecha, was Kim Jongin. It was one of the first Mechas he and Kim Junmyeon designed as a healthcare companion to a blind kid a few years back. Jongin was his prototype name and the surname was given after his creators. Everyone in Mechatron and Green Octagon found his name quite suitable and found this Mecha’s characteristic to be overwhelmingly close to a human being – one of Junmyeon’s pride no doubt.

  
Jongin blinked and smiled – too human-like that the average person will never believe he was a robot. “Good afternoon Dr. Minseok”

  
“Good afternoon Jongin” Minseok smiles warmly. “Is he awake?”

  
Jongin nods and opens the door letting Minseok in the small hospital room. The room was white, save from the floor tiles in mint green and the cerulean couches for guests to sit upon. There was a flat screen TV hanging by the wall just on the opposite side of a hospital bed where a young man sat, staring out into the horizon beyond the large window overlooking the Capitol.

  
The door closes behind them that had the patient’s head snap to Minseok and Jongin, his heart shaped lips pursed into a straight line, his wide eyes scanning the direction where the sound came from, waiting.

  
“Hello Kyungsoo” Minseok finally says and the blind patient’s lips curled into a wide smile.

  
“Hello Kim Minseok”

  
Minseok walks over to Kyungsoo’s hospital bed and sat on a chair Jongin, the patient’s healthcare companion, pulled out. Minseok leans close and smiles, “How are you?”

  
“I’m fine as always. Still can’t see” Kyungsoo jokes, his blank eyes still directed to the door.

  
“At least it doesn’t waver your sense of humor down” Minseok snorts.

  
Kyungsoo chuckles and finally directs his unseeing eyes to where he supposed Minseok was sitting at the moment. “You haven’t visited over a month. I was worried you’d forget about me”

  
“I will never forget about you Kyungsoo” Minseok frowns dejectedly as his heart stopped for a beat. “I’m sorry, I was busy for the past month”

  
“Boyfriend duties I hope?” Kyungsoo’s smile reached the tip of his ears that even without being able to see, knew exactly that Minseok was embarrassed and blushing a bright red.

  
Minseok bites his lip, unable to control his smile as he fondled over the velvet box in his pockets. “I wish it were indeed the case. I have so many plans in store for me and Baekhyun”

 

“Does it involve hot and passionate nights like you always tell me about?”

 

“What-“ Minseok’s face turned a very dark shade of red and was taken aback. “Wh-when did I even?- I h-how did you even-”

 

“I was _bluffing_ Minseok!” Kyungsoo throws his head back and laughter exploded from him. “So you _are_ thinking about-“

  
“Hey, watch it” Minseok points a finger at Kyungsoo and glares at Jongin who was merely blinking at them.

 

Kyungsoo says in between giggles, “Do I hear wedding bells dear Dr. Kim?”

  
Minseok straightens in his seat as the frown he held dug deeper and the words on his mouth feel rather silent. “You know I can’t do that…not yet”

 

“Why not? Don’t you love Baekhyun?” Kyungsoo was swaying side to side as if he was listening to a slow music in the wind – or he was expressing how happy he is that Minseok would make reconsider asking Baekhyun to marry him.

 

“I do” Minseok speaks up, his heart pounding fast in his chest, but – “But”

  
“But” Kyungsoo’s smile finally dropped and a frown shadowed over his once happy face, as complete mutual understanding haunted the both of them. “And there’s that _but_ ”

 

A dead silence so thick enveloped the room and if it wasn’t for Jongin’s watch that beeped as an afternoon schedule for him to fetch some water for Kyungsoo, none of them would’ve uttered a word.

  
“The Cure?” Kyungsoo finally dared to ask as Jongin hands him a glass of water to drink.

  
Minseok pulls his bag up and began digging for the suppressants he’s been hiding underneath. He pulls one out and gently slips it into Kyungsoo’s soft hands. Jongin cocks a brow at Minseok, his AI cognitive response working perfectly.

  
“What’s this?” Kyungsoo’s brows furrowed, twisting and turning the object in his hands.

  
“A Suppressant. An _Unauthorized_ suppressants” Minseok made sure to glance at Jongin who was watching his creator’s every move, a little unwary of the inhaler the scientist was giving Kyungsoo – probably because Jongin couldn’t identify the medicine he handed over and found it as a lethal weapon. With constant worry that the Mecha might throw him out, Minseok quickly adds, “It’s an inhaler containing medicinal nanobots I created myself”

  
“What does it do?”  Kyungsoo looks for the button not until he accidentally sprays some on himself and sneezes. Jongin immediately comes with a towel and wipes Kyungsoo’s nose clean.

  
“It’s a temporary Cancer killer for now – well, pain killer actually. Whenever I get attacks from that godforsaken tumor I have in my spine, I use this to kill off the cancer cells attacking a particular place in my bones” he grimaces at the recent memory of the attack he received from the plane. “You get an attack every now and then on your kidney, right?”

  
Kyungsoo nods almost too sullen at a memory. “Yeah, I get that a lot nowadays”

  
“You mentioned you’re going to have one of your tumor-infected kidney taken out right?” Minseok’s lips twitches, seeing the terrified expression flash in Kyungsoo’s eyes. “Well, with this suppressant, it’ll help you deal through the three weeks of waiting without having to experience any attacks all day long”

  
“Thank you for this Minseok, really, but…” Kyungsoo, although blind, downcasts his eyes to the inhaler in his hands. A silent agony inside him only Minseok could hear, only Minseok could understand.

 

“But” the scientist takes in a sharp intake of breath, afraid of what he was going to hear as Kyungsoo smiles sadly at his own hands.

 

“I doubt these suppressants will be enough to serve as a pain killer for me” Kyungsoo takes a deep breath and turns his head to _look_ at Minseok through those blind eyes of his and gave him a heart breaking smile. “They’ve detected that the cancer cells jumped all over my body already and is spreading faster as we speak”

 

Minseok froze, his throat ran dry. He couldn’t move, couldn’t open his mouth and just remained staring into Kyungsoo’s unseeing eyes.

 

“I’m dying, Minseok” Kyungsoo’s voice was faint and felt so distant despite being inches away from each other.

 

_I’m dying._

 

“I have less than months to live and even with these suppressants, I have a feeling it’ll just give me an extra month or two, but it won't suffice to keep me long enough to survive next spring” Kyungsoo clutches the cream sheets of his hospital bed and sighs heavily.

 

Jongin turned away, as if he could somewhat _feel_ the discussion between the two despite lacking the ability to _feel_ pain and suffering like the two Cancer patients in front of him were dealing with on the basis of their every pitiful day lives.

  
"You know that you have to tell Baekhyun one day," Kyungsoo says, more grim and fatalistic than ever. Minseok's throat got caught by a cat. He didn't know what to say.

  
  
"No" Minseok protests, almost seeing Baekhyun's scream of grief and mourn.

 

"I know you can feel it too Minseok, that you're going to end up having the same fate as I am" Kyungsoo searches for Minseok’s hands on the bed.

 

Minseok watched him look for his hand, and if Minseok were to take his hand in Kyungsoo's, it’ll be a seal of acceptance that the both of them, both suffering under the same sickness, will indeed die in less than a year.  

 

Minseok has been having endless nightmares of one day, he’ll find himself floating out of his body to stare at his own lifeless figure. He’s been experiencing excruciating pain that in the middle of the night, he found it hard to scream just so he wouldn’t wake Baekhyun up and worry about him – or find out he was slowly dying. _Slowly dying._

 

That was why, Minseok stayed in the laboratory for four days - weeks and even months - so he could find a cure. So that Baekhyun wouldn't catch him crying in pain of the tumor aching in his bones. No, he wouldn't want Baekhyun to see him suffer. He wouldn't let Baekhyun suffer. 

 

“Minseok?” Kyungsoo was still searching for his hand.

 

He kept his eyes fixated on Kyungsoo’s hand and imagined it to be Baekhyun’s hand. What if one day, Baekhyun tries to feel for _his_ hand only to wake up remembering Minseok’s already dead and they could never intertwine their fingers together like they used to?

What if one day it really _does_ happen?

What if…

 

“I’m right here Kyungsoo” Minseok finally takes Kyungsoo’s hands and pressed his palms gently. He buries his forehead on their knuckles and murmurs, “I’ll find The Cure Kyungsoo, I swear I’ll find it and you’ll be able to stroll along the daisies again. I swear I’ll find it so I can ask Baekhyun's hand in-“

 

Jongin snaps his head as he hears Minseok breaking into short, soft sobs in Kyungsoo’s hands. The scientist’s shoulders bobbed up and down, relentlessly shuddering in each sadness that overcame him. Kyungsoo on the other hand, was staring blankly at nothing, quietly listening to Minseok’s silent cries of agony of the inevitable.

 

The sullen look from Kyungsoo disappears, replaced by waves of relief and smile, a small bright smile that shone brightly on his face. “Minseok”

 

“Yes?” the scientist’s response was barely a whisper.

 

“Don’t forget me when I die”

 

Minseok looks up to find Kyungsoo - although blind, staring through him – right _at_ him with peaceful eyes. Eye of resignation, acceptance and a silent promise and in those eyes, Minseok swore he could see himself in them, the reflection of the same fear, same hardships and same welcoming for death.  
  
Do Kyungsoo, one of the cancer patients' life hanging by a thread if Minseok gives up. If Minseok forgets his sole duty, his mere existence: to change the world, to give humans a second chance to  _live_  just as they had given Jongin the Mecha a life of his own, then all will be lost. 

“You won’t die” Minseok purses his lips into a straight line and squeezes Kyungsoo’s hands tighter as a new kind of determination fills him. “I promise”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	4. Chapter Three

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                


Once Kyungsoo was asleep and Minseok bode farewell to the Mecha named Jongin, he slipped quietly outside from the hospital room and was immediately escorted to the Mecha Depository. It was located at the second floor of Green Octagon Hospital where Mechas such as: Nursebots, Caretaker Droids and Robo-security were taken for repair or for rest and also where new Mechas are stationed upon delivery.

 

Upon arriving, Minseok immediately found Dr. Junmyeon with his back turned to him as he was talking to notable men and women, all of them wearing ashen colored suits and dresses, polished brown shoes and heels and everything that would scream: Cylinder Corporation – powerful and prestigious people of the Capitol – and probably, The World – who oversees everything in robotics.

  
All of them were flanking each other to marvel at a pale young man in front of them with a flare of auburn-brown hair, glistening brown eyes, standing straight – too straight that any mortal could achieve – in silence.

 

He knew who that young man was, he has seen him even before he was made to be physically present in front of their eyes. Minseok remembered seeing one of their engineers and designers showcasing this young man’s blueprints back at Mechatron.

 

This Mecha, was Lay.

 

Although Jongin was the same model to possess _cognitive thinking and reasoning_ and also _response_ when engaging in conversations with humans and other Mechas, Lay was created to surpass the one-way communication and reaction given to regular Mechas. Unlike the other Mechas who were designed to act and react based from what the programmers of Mechatron embedded in their neuro-sensory chips, Lay was programmed to learn when spending time in social interaction and was given free-will in making his own decisions.

 

Lay, was the answer to Junmyeon’s years of cracking the secret to Artificial Intelligence. Lay was the future of Science. Lay was the _key._

 

As Minseok comes closer, he overheas that Junmyeon had finished discussing the unique abilities this Mecha in front of them possessed leaving the Directors with bobbing heads and with eyes sparkling with great interest. Junmyeon turns his back when in his peripheral vision, he found Minseok standing by.

 

“Ah! Dr. Kim Minseok, glad you came” he extends a hand and turns his head to the Directors. “Honorable Ladies and Gentlemen, may I present Dr. Kim Minseok of Mechatron Incorporated, Head Doctor of the Medical Research for Nanotechnology and one of our most esteemed  and well-respected Scientists of the Neurological System for Artificial Intelligence”

 

Minseok bows formally in greeting and smiles, “I’m honoured to be in your presence”

 

“We’ve heard a lot about you and your experiments Dr. Minseok,” a man in his late forties and crinkled eyes filled with admiration says, “The oral medications you developed using Nanotechnology is extraordinary. We’ve received positive feedbacks and unending gratitude from hospitals and patients under the treatment of Mechatron Nanotechnology”

 

“I’m pleased to hear that” Minseok gives another considerable bow of thanks.

 

Minseok felt undeniably happy that all his hard work and effort had greatly benefited thousands of lives. Every day, Minseok receives praise and tears of happiness from the lives he saved by creating a cure for the countless diseases spreading around The World. Now all he needed to save millions more was to find the ultimate cure for the deadliest sickness there is. The Cure for Cancer.

He has to find The Cure to save men, women and children, families, Kyungsoo, to keep those smiles in their faces and of course, _himself_ , so he can come home and finally be in the arms of the most important person in his life: Byun Baekhyun.

 

Many more praises came shortly after of Kim Minseok’s achievements and Lay, the Mecha standing behind them watched him closely, as if the Artificial Being was soaking in all the information his mechanical ears could take.

  
“What are you thinking about Lay?” Minseok cocks his head to the side. Dr. Junmyeon and the Directors all turned their heads in great anticipation on what the Mecha might say.

 

Lay didn’t even blink nor did he acknowledge Minseok’s question. The Artificial Being just kept staring at him with soulless, empty eyes and yet, somehow, Minseok could feel heaviness in them. He didn’t know why, but the way Lay was looking at him got him shivering.

 

What was Lay thinking about? Why were Lay’s eyes piercing right through him? Minseok was beyond fascinated with this Artificial Being.

 

Unexpectedly, in that moment, Minseok’s spine began pounding an excruciating pain that had him bulging out his eyes and clamping his mouth shut. His hands clenched and unclenched and he tried his best to remain still despite his knees forcing him to fall to his knees and gag at the immense pain.

 

He wanted to take the suppressants. He wanted to reach into his bag and get even a minute of relief from his godforsaken tumor, but he didn’t want to attract attention, not when many are watching. Not when everyone in this room except Junmyeon knew he was suffering from cancer.

 

Junmyeon somehow sensed the help Minseok silently begged and began to speak, “It’s been a long time since you last saw Dr. Kim Minseok, is that right Lay?” Lay then snaps his attention to him and nods. Junmyeon turns to the Directors and says, “Perhaps his memory-sensors are trying to recall to where he’s last seen Dr. Minseok’s face before. A case of déjà vu for humans I guess”

 

Minseok gives Junmyeon one pained expression, a sign that he could no longer take the unbearable pain and it was enough for Junmyeon to call one of the scientists in his team and asked him to escort the esteemed guests to the scheduled dinner meeting.

 

The both of them didn’t move until the Directors were out of the Mecha Depository and only then did Junmyeon take hold of Minseok on his shoulders and escorted him to a nearby vacant storage room.

 

His eyes were blown, his vision blurry, but Minseok could clearly see Lay’s eyes following him with that same heaviness in his eyes until they disappeared into a nearby small vacant room. He didn’t know why the Mecha took so much interest in him, but right now, he didn’t much care for the pain had clogged his thinking.

 

Minseok quickly flung out his inhaler and relished in the subsiding attack on his spine once Junmyeon shot the door behind them. Minseok was drenched in sweat and breathing heavily as if he had run a marathon. He slumped himself down to the floor and closed his eyes, gripping on the inhaler tightly as if it was the only source of comfort he needed.

 

“It’s a good thing it’s almost dinner time or else things would’ve gone horribly wrong back there in front of the Directors” Junmyeon says, staring at Minseok with worry. “You okay?”

 

“Just tell me why you called me here in Green Octagon” Minseok immediately cuts him off.

 

Junmyeon straightens his mouth and nods with an exasperated exhale through his nostrils. He clamps his hands together behind his back. “We’ve done it”

 

Minseok shoots an expectant and surprised look at Junmyeon. He knew what he was talking about and he couldn’t believe his own ears.

 

Junmyeon smiles. “The _Blue Core_. It’s finished”

 

“You mean to say…the core for Project X is…” Minseok sucked in a breath. “Have you tried it on Lay?”

 

“Not yet. We still need to study Lay’s behavioural patterns before we insert this core  _or_ , we can create _another_ Mecha to test this out if we’re too excited” Junmyeon chuckles.

 

Minseok flattens his back on the cabinet behind him. “A Mecha who deals solely on human _emotions_ and abstract thought huh?”

 

“The Directors all loved it Minseok. It’ll be a stepping stone into creating a _real_ human and replicating the _creation of life_ ” Junmyeon stares into the distance, envisioning a future ahead of them. “Imagine us like gods, breathing in life into scrap metal”

 

“I wouldn’t consider us being _gods_ ” Minseok winces as the remaining pain on his spine tingled. “If we were gods then we could’ve made the world better now. But we’re not god, are we?”

 

Junmyeon frowns and crouches in front of Minseok with a doleful look. “How much longer are you going to keep this up Kim Minseok?”

 

“Keep what up” it was obvious in his tone that Minseok wanted to avoid this conversation, but it only invited Junmyeon more.

 

“Letting your life hang by a thread”

 

“Look, as long as I still can, I'll keep it up until I find The Cure” Minseok says miserably, throwing his head back to rest on the stainless cabinet behind him.

 

“This is suicide Minseok, sticking with your personalized suppressants and no actual medical treatment will kill you and you know that” Junmyeon tried to keep his voice calm, but the anger was obvious in it.

 

“I’m _fine_ Junmyeon”

 

“For how long? An hour? Two hours? A day and a half?”

 

Minseok opens up his eyes to glare at him. “Look, I said I’m _fine_ , alright?”

 

“No. No you’re not” Junmyeon clicks his tongue, “and you will never be fine if you keep doing this”

 

“You’re such a pessimist, you know that?” Minseok grates his teeth. “I’m dying anyway Junmyeon, so what’s the point in getting treatments? What, I’ll spend money to treatments that will serve just the same as my _made-up medicine_? No thank you” he shakes head. “Whatever you’re going to do to persuade me will not work, okay? I will find The Cure and that’ll be the end of it”

 

Junmyeon shakes his head in disbelief and yet, he pitied Minseok. He could never understand what he’s going through for the reason he was not a victim of bone cancer, but he could sympathize with him for the other reason why he was being hard-headed.

 

“It’s because of Baekhyun, isn’t it?” Junmyeon murmurs softly, but punctured Minseok’s heart hard enough that he had to look away from Junmyeon to hold back the frustrated tears cooped up in the corner of his eyes.

 

The velvet box in his pocket felt heavy along with his sinking heart.

 

Junmyeon was right. If only he had real treatments, these attacks wouldn’t keep coming back unlike Kyungsoo who gets them occasionally, but with him, he sometimes wanted to give in and just succumb into pain every day. But…

 

There’s always that _but_.

 

But he didn’t want to. He’d rather go through this pain rather seeing Baekhyun’s worried look, hear his frightened heart thumping and see the smile on his face disappear knowing that all this time he was away, all this time he was in his laboratory and neglected his sickness and didn’t trust him enough to tell him he was dying.

 

No, he wouldn’t want Baekhyun to worry about him. No, he couldn’t bear the thought of knowing that if Baekhyun found out he had cancer, Minseok will see him waking up knowing the inevitable of him dying could come soon.

 

No. Minseok preferred that Baekhyun will never know. He preferred a worry and sick-free world with Baekhyun and if there was a world where only their love existed, Minseok would’ve taken it in a heartbeat.

 

“Minseok…” Junmyeon said softly. “You have to tell him one day. You know that”

 

Minseok’s tensed shoulders began to relax as he heaves a long sigh. He pinches the bridge of his nose and shakes his head, completely lost in his miserable life. “I just want us to live in a happy world”

 

“You won’t be happy if you keep this burden all to yourself” Junmyeon stands up and dusts his coat. “Two is better than one Minseok. If you want to fight this sickness you have, it’s better to have someone who won’t give up on you beside you”

 

“I don’t want him to suffer with me” Minseok flutters his eyes and stared into nothing.

 

“Would you prefer suffering alone?”

 

Minseok nods slowly in grave acceptance. “Until I find The Cure, I will suffer alone. I don’t want to drag Baekhyun into this. I don’t want to tell him. Ever”

 

“But what if it’s too late Minseok, what if one day you just stopped breathing?” it was grim and fatalistic, and Junmyeon just laid out the one Minseok feared the most.

 

_Dying without saying goodbye_ and that all his hard work will be all for nothing.

 

“What do you think Baekhyun will feel when he learns you died of cancer without you telling him? He’ll feel betrayed and I know you know that too”

 

“Enough Junmyeon” Minseok picks himself up slowly on his feet and shoved the inhaler back in his bags. “I _will_ find a cure, Junmyeon. Lives depend on me, not just mine and if you’re not going to help me make a better world, I’ll do it on my own”

 

Minseok starts to stagger his way to reach for the door, unable to take anymore of Junmyeon’s “talks”. He and Junmyeon had been friends since they were in college and he’d always listened to what he has to say, always found his advices and he was always right but sometimes, Minseok hated them. He hated how Junmyeon was _always_ right and having him make the right decisions for his life only made him conflicted and lost.

 

Minseok was not a robot, a Mecha where people can easily delete his sickness away and program him to be healthy. Nobody can fix him. Nobody can mend him and he knew that the only one who can fix him, was himself.

 

“I will find The Cure” Minseok says, brushing a finger over the automated sliding door until it slipped open, “and I will _die trying”_

 

Junmyeon wanted to reach out to Minseok, but the sliding door closed even before he got the chance to say goodbye.

 

* * *

 

 

The tumor was acting up again and Minseok wanted to be well away from the eyes of the world. His suppressant was running low – with using it for the fifth time today, why wouldn’t it?

 

He painstakingly rushed himself to one of the nearby pharmacies to get himself a real and authorized painkiller just for the moment and when he comes home, he’ll make sure to double the number of his suppressants.

 

Minseok stood in front of the counter, awaiting for any of the pharmacists to come out and tend to him. But nobody ever came out to meet him. Minseok tapped his foot, impatiently waiting. None came. He could’ve gotten angry with the poor service of the pharmacy, but the effect of the suppressant was wearing off and the exploding pain was once again devouring him that he had little choice but to shove his disappointment away and break into the backroom. He made sure to check for any possible sleeping pharmacists behind the counter and when he found none, he continued on his way to slip into the backroom of the pharmacy.

 

The storage room was filled with glass cases where each and every medicine were stored accordingly, but odd enough, Minseok found it peculiar to find that there was nobody, not _one_ person to be there inspecting or guarding the pharmacy. It was as if whoever worked here had long abandoned this place – for what reason, Minseok did not know. He remained cautious however and threaded lightly despite feeling the agonizing ache on his bones.

 

He had to find the painkiller quick or else he’ll- _clink!_

 

Minseok froze in his place as the sound of a glass bottle fell and shortly after, it rolled over just to hit the head of his pointed shoes.

 

_‘So there_ is _someone in here’_ Minseok picks up a medicine bottle for Vitamin C. He looks up from the bottle and started to walk until – _‘Fuck!’_

 

He groaned in his throat, trying to repress a cry as the tumor pounded harder on his spine sending shockwaves of stinging pain all over his body. He clung to a nearby wall and remained still in place, hoping that it could ease the hurt on his back. He needed to find that painkiller _fast_.

 

“Quickly, we don’t have much time” a voice. There was an unfamiliar voice, commanding and slightly panicked voice behind from one of the large glass containers of the displayed medicine.

 

The sound of bottles and bottles shuffling and hitting each other and the scrambling and scraping of boots filled his ears.

 

“Just grab everything and let’s go!” another voice said. Minseok didn’t care who they were as he clung unto the next wall and let his eyes roam around the room for his objective.

He looked to the left, and then to the right and then –and then right into the wide eyes of a tall, slender and pale, blonde haired young man frozen like a statue from the far end of the room.  

 

This man with the terrified, bulging eyes carried a sack of medicines slung over his shoulders. He wore a rugged white v-neck shirt tucked into a pair of moss green camouflage pants with matching worn-out black combat boots, but what really caught Minseok’s attention was the black newsboy hat with the insignia of an eagle’s head patched on the middle -it was the insignia of the well-known activist group against Mecha.

 

The People, they call themselves. The People were an activist group mostly made up of those living in the slums who despised living alongside Mechas. They didn’t quite get the significance of having robots taking over to help improve and make the lives of humans easier. They rallied against Mechatron, claiming that the company only stripped off millions of jobs replacing humans with _robots_ rather than helping lives at all, leaving them jobless and moneyless and some, even passed away.

 

They rebelled, they tried to catch the attention of the Directors, CEOs and scientists by vandalizing, destroying occasional cars and rallying, but nobody heeded their words. Nobody paid attention. Nobody _looked_ at them.

 

Minseok wouldn’t blame them for acting like this, but looking at this man in front of him fighting for the cause, he found him young – too young to be part of it.

 

The young man’s bewildered eyes quickly shifts into a deadly stare as he quickly withdraws a gun in his hand and points it over to him. Minseok shoots his weak arms up in cautious surrender, trying to deal with the immense pain he was experiencing.

 

“Hey, c-can we just talk-“ Minseok immediately zips his mouth when he heard the young man ready his gun – and also when the ache shot up to his throat. Minseok winces as his knees wobbled, but he held his composure and tried to walk slowly, “please, I mean you no harm”

 

The young activist held his throat slitting stare. Minseok knew he was there to give an end to him if he crosses the line between them.

 

Sweat beaded on Minseok’s temple for both of the fear that this young man might pull the trigger leading to his death and that his vision and knees were giving up on him.

Miraculously, he managed to speak up. “That’s medicine in the sack right?” the young man didn’t say anything. “Is it for your family?”

 

The young man’s lips twitched, but he showed no reluctance in shooting Minseok if it ever came to that point.

 

“You can keep it i-if you want” Minseok was starting to breathe heavily as he tried to form words out of his mouth. The young man’s hands fidgeted as Minseok said, “Go. Go get more and bring it home. We’ve got enough for ourselves here in the hospital”

 

A sudden shift on the young man’s feet and a twitch of his eyebrows was enough for Minseok to sense that this man in front of him was just another word of persuasion away for him to put down the gun.

 

“I won’t tell”

 

Those words rang through this stranger’s ears. He stares into Minseok’s eyes, waiting and calculating whether he could finally run off safely with his companion and all he found was sympathy, compassion and exhaustion. Whatever the scientist was feeling now didn’t matter to him. Finally, he put away his gun but held that gaze upon him.

 

Minseok didn’t know what was going on through the young man’s head, but he was beyond relieved that he wasn’t going to die by gunshot tonight.

 

“Thank you” Minseok’s ears shot up upon hearing the young man’s voice. Minseok found himself smiling before another wave of stinging electricity washed over him.

 

The pain was merciless and unforgiving. Minseok’s face twisted and he opened his mouth to cry out a voiceless agony, pressing himself to the wall for support. His vision was getting blurry, his head was throbbing and he swore he couldn’t tolerate the pain any longer.

 

Dazed and disoriented, he falls to his knees, his ears were blocking everything from his hearing and the darkness in his vision slowly easing in. His eyelids were giving up, he tried his best opening them wide as he can and found the young man crouching in front of him.

 

The young man seemed to be trying to find a way to help him up and find out what was wrong, not until his companion came out with the same shocked expression and pulled him off of his feet.

 

“Sehun what are you doing!? Come on let’s go!” the other man wrenched the young man called Sehun off from Minseok.

 

“We have to help him” Sehun says and that was the last thing he clearly heard before his ears too blew out.

 

Minseok’s eyes were closing and he could barely hear or see what was happening, but all he knew, he heard a couple of people shouting, a window shattering and a gunshot resounding all around before he blacked out.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	5. Chapter Four

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                
  
  


When Baekhyun received a call from Junmyeon about the incident that happened in Green Octagon Hospital, he immediately excused himself from a luncheon with his agent and scrambled to his feet to get the fastest taxi that can take him to see Kim Minseok.

 

Fear. That was the only thing panging in his heart. One agonizing and intense fear that once he stepped out of the taxi, he ran as fast as he could and was practically shouting at the front desk asking where Minseok’s room was.

 

He rarely sees Minseok nowadays then this happens? _Dear God, please._ Baekhyun shakes his head running to catch an elevator and-

 

Now, he found himself staring upon Minseok sleeping soundly on top of the hospital bed. Unbruised, unharmed, untouched. Baekhyun’s shoulders sagged in relief and dropped himself to sit beside the bed and held Minseok’s warm hands in his.  

He fought off the water stinging his miserable eyes and relished in listening to the music that was Minseok’s easy and sound breathing. He watched the rhythm of Minseok’s heart rate on the ECG, following the steady beat of his chest heaving up and down, and never dared taking his eyes off the heart beat monitor making sure that it stays that way.

 

The thought of losing him scares Baekhyun the most. He doesn’t know what’s going to become of him if one day, those green lines dashing up and down and that gentle beeping sound will one day just cease into a red flat line and followed by one long ear penetrating sound that –

 

Baekhyun threw that thought away. No, he wouldn’t want to think of that, not right now. Not when they’ve even barely talked to each other for the past few months and in those times when they _actually_ had time to talk, it’ll always be Baekhyun complaining about Minseok’s unending interest towards Mechas.

 

No, Baekhyun wouldn’t want their last words exchanged were with anger, disappointment and goodbyes.

 

The door creaks open that had Baekhyun standing up as Minseok’s doctor enters with Junmyeon trailing behind him. The doctor wore his brows in a deep furrow, staring down at his mint clipboard and Junmyeon was the first to acknowledge Baekhyun’s presence.

 

Baekhyun was nothing but tense. Nervousness was visible in his features, clinging to Minseok’s hand as if the latter would disappear right in front of his eyes when he’s looking away.

 

“Doctor, I believe you know Mr. Byun” Junmyeon says and the doctor shoots his head up with a small smile. Junmyeon stands by Baekhyun and the latter greets him warmly.

 

The doctor adjusts his glasses, clearing his throat while glancing from Baekhyun and Junmyeon to his sleeping patient before flicking back at the two. “Mr. Minseok will be fine. It was a good thing the rebels he encountered didn’t hurt him-“

 

“Then why did he faint?” Baekhyun blurts cutting him off, apprehension evident in his rushed voice.

 

The doctor’s face was grim, bleaching the colors from Baekhyun’s face as he parts his lips to tell him about what they had discovered when running a couple of MRI and CT scans all over his body. That Kim Minseok was diagnosed with –

 

Junmyeon however, got ahead of the doctor and gave him a slow shake of his head in negation and a hand hidden from Baekhyun’s line of sight as a sign to zip his mouth and shut up about it.

 

The doctor got the message crystal clear and held up a smile instead. “He was just knocked out cold. Probably because the culprits didn’t want him recognizing their faces as he will be able to live to tell the tale”

 

“I wish he did though” Junmyeon curses under his breath. When Baekhyun turned to look at him and he added, “Aside from stealing a chunk full of medicines from the pharmacy, they claimed another great consolation prize”

 

“What did they steal?”

 

“One of the _Mecha Cores_ ” Junmyeon answers and when he notices Baekhyun’s confused face, he says helplessly, “A _Core_ to put it simply, is a heart to us humans. These cores when infused to a Mecha can give them a running battery life for almost as long as human years or even longer. There’s actually _three_ different Mecha Cores” Baekhyun seemed indifferent rather than actually paying attention to Junmyeon who trails off and quickly finishes off with a sigh, “basically, the one they stole was a Yellow Core, a common core used here for Nursebots and several more helping in the hospital. Common they may be, but _very_ dangerous”

 

“What will these activists even do with the Mecha Core?” Baekhyun asks noncommittally, trying not to sound too inquisitive.

 

“Use it for their own convenience. Sell it. Keep it as a prize” Junmyeon shrugs. “Make a statement”

 

“That what? That they can take you scientists down like what they did with Minseok?” Baekhyun tightens his grip on Minseok’s hands. “You people should send your so-called Robocops and track these fools down before anybody else could get hurt”

 

“We’ll do everything we can Baekhyun, don’t worry. Minseok is my closest friend, he might as well be my brother and I will see that whatever they did to him and their crime in stealing Mechatron’s property will be brought to justice” Junmyeon shoves his hands in his pockets.

 

A soft groan had them pinning their attention to Minseok who started shifting gently on the hospital bed. Baekhyun dropped to the chair beside him and pressed both of his palms on Minseok’s hands.

 

“Minseok” Baekhyun murmurs his name softly like a caress, he however fell back to slumber.

 

“He’s going to be fine. He can be released from the hospital after he wakes up too” the doctor informs. He looks at Baekhyun and Minseok then at Junmyeon with a frown before leaving the room.

 

Junmyeon’s lips curl into a sad smile watching Baekhyun anticipate whether Minseok was going to open his eyes. He kicks the ground and asks, “Have you eaten?”

 

“I’m not hungry”

 

“I’m going down to the cafeteria to get some food for Minseok when he wakes up. If you need anything, I can fetch whatever it is you want while I’m at it”

 

“Well, there is one thing” Baekhyun turns to Junmyeon with a blush on his cheeks and a rare peaceful smile on his lips. “Can you buy some Mocha bread? Minseok would like that”

 

“Very well” was all Junmyeon said before leaving the room.

 

Baekhyun runs his fingers through Minseok’s smooth, soft cheeks caressing it with great care humming a sweet tune. Oh how he missed doing this to Minseok, just being here beside him where he usually sings a song whenever he sees that tired face of his and watch him smile as he starts to fall asleep until Baekhyun himself too could close his eyes and lie down beside him.

 

He grazes his palms over Minseok’s hair showering him murmurs of apologies about being rude and nothing but stress to him rather than being supportive of his studies and research and how he wished he could turn back time to undo all of those things.

 

Minseok doesn’t wake up though and he probably didn’t hear any even the slightest of those things.

 

“Wake up” Baekhyun murmurs his backhand brushing nimbly over Minseok’s cheeks with eyes clouding with water. “Come back to me”

 

After a gruelling silence, Baekhyun’s eyelids started to fall until he too fell into sleep.

 

* * *

 

 

The shifting of plastic bags and a refrigerator opening and closing was what triggered Minseok awake from his deep sleep. He opened his eyes, shortly blinded by the light on the ceiling. When he regained his vision, he was surprised to find himself lying on a hospital bed and seeing Junmyeon stacking some bottled water inside the refrigerator at the end of the room.

 

He groans, shaking off the pain stinging on his backhand where his eyes trailed following the tube connecting to the dextrose. He also noted that his coat was neatly folded on the side and he was now garbed in a scrub suit. _Perfect._ He throws his head back to the pillows and huffs an exasperated sigh catching Junmyeon’s attention.

 

“You’re awake” Junmyeon takes a bottle out and carried one of the mocha breads with him to sit. “Someone’s going to be happy to see you up”

 

Minseok’s eyes wandered over to the man resting beside him. Baekhyun was fast asleep with one arm under his head and the other, after all this time, his warm hands were still intertwined with his. Minseok knew Baekhyun well enough that the latter refused to let him go no matter what and his heart skipped beats for that.

 

Just then did he wonder, how did he get here?

 

“I called him up and told him what happened” as if reading his mind, Junmyeon answered it for him.

 

“What happened?” Minseok asks, trying to understand what Junmyeon was talking about.

 

“A group of rebels infiltrated Green Octagon stealing medicines and well, creating havoc and distress after breaking some glass windows for their escape. Some of the nearby guards had to fire at them, but they got away nonetheless. Then, we found you lying unconscious in the pharmacy’s storage room where half of the rebels were before they were chased off” Junmyeon sits back on one of the mint colored couches. “Did you happen to meet one of them back there or were you just lucky?”

 

There were images. Vague fractures of memories of a young activist trying to help him stand up and someone uttered his name. A name echoing in his head now that he tried to remember: _Sehun._

 

_‘Sehun. Yes, Sehun was his name’_ Minseok clutches the white sheets of the bed. _‘I wonder what ever happened to him…’_

“Also, these rebels stole a Yellow Core” that alone had Minseok snapping back at Junmyeon who tongued the wall of his cheek. “I don’t know how they got a hold of one but damn, I won’t rest until we get it back”

“Just let them be” Minseok had no clue why, but he was indifferent in retrieving the Yellow Core. _‘But why?’_

 

“What did you say?” Junmyeon stares at him as if he was a mad man. He couldn’t blame him for looking at him like that, it was a _Core_ that was stolen after all.

 

Minseok didn’t know why he said that either. He was surprised himself wondering why he didn’t much care that the rebels had the Yellow Core in their hands.

 

“Are you saying that it’s okay for the rebels to possess such a power?” Junmyeon pinches his eyes, disbelief written all over his face. “Do you even hear yourself right now?”

 

The Core is made up of solar energy extracted from the flares of the sun. The intense energy infused into the ball empowers the chip – or heart as they would call it - inside that once it comes in contact, beats _life_ as if it was a living human heart. When attached to the body of the Mecha, that stroke of solar energy travels into the circuits with surging electricity pulsing like blood. Thus creating a Mecha that can now walk, talk and react as if it was actually _alive._ That was the beauty of the Core, but there were also downsides to it all. With a power that so immense, it is said that a single core if someone were to detonate it, it could cause a destruction as deadly as a nuclear bomb.

 

It is a tedious, expensive and dangerous material and no doubt Mechatron will not stop until they retrieve that common core to prevent such a power like that now that it is in the wrong and clueless hands on what this thing could do. If not retrieved, it will all end in a maelstrom of disaster.

 

“You know how dangerous it is Minseok. They can start a war with it and you know it” Junmyeon huffs sagely.

 

“They won’t Junmyeon”

 

“How can you say that?”

 

But why, why isn’t Minseok moved by any of this? Why is it that even when Junmyeon told him about the possibilities of a deadly future he doesn’t seem to be bothered at all?

 

Perhaps it’s because of the way that Sehun boy looked at him with fragility in his eyes. Helplessness, uncertainty and fear were all clear in the way he looked at him when he threatened to shoot. What could be the horrors he and his brethren be facing in a world of poverty? Of scarce resources, food and medicine that they had no choice but to resort in stealing and if encountering an obstacle as Minseok had been to the boy, could result in murder.

 

But all of those dread from Sehun’s eyes changed when Minseok lets him go. His eyes glinted with both hope and confusion, perhaps because it was the first time that a scientist – a privileged man with a better life than theirs actually _looked_ at _them_ , gave them a chance to carry those sack of medicines they stole back to their homes. Even when they were both clearly “enemies” that Sehun boy even tried to _help_ him _unconditionally_ when he collapsed to the floor.

 

_Unconditional_. Minseok says to himself that had him grinning inwardly. Sehun helped him unconditionally by putting aside their differences. If only people could see that, if only they could understand -

 

Yes. Minseok believed that the rebels won’t even risk civil war, not when there could be hundreds of their people sick and dying.

 

  
“I’ve contacted The Court of Justice, the CEO and a few of our esteemed colleagues on a hearing regarding this event” Junmyeon says with a furrow of his brows.

 

“What?” Minseok snaps to him.

 

“They’ve been crossing our lines ever since and with what happened to you and the taking of the Yellow Core, I’m drawing the line to call for a hearing with our leader with theirs” Junmyeon stares intently at Minseok. “We’re going to summon their leader, Wu Yi Fan to the court and finally stop this ridiculousness”

 

“You can’t be serious-“

 

“Why are you even objecting? I mean, have you seen the news lately? They’ve been hunting down Mechas, _our_ Mechas and destroys them - which costs thousands of units might I remind you – for their own pleasure” Junmyeon grates his teeth with a grimace. “Besides, it’ll only be the only practical way to stop this rebel cause if we push through with this hearing” Junmyeon balls up his fists, narrowing his eyes at him. “I also want to point out that we had to tell a made-up memorandum these rebels are doing for their cause to satisfy Baekhyun’s questions on what _actually happened_ to you”

 

Minseok’s throat went dry. “What lie?”

 

“The doctors found out about your little _secret_ and I saved you from hearing Baekhyun’s heart shattering into a million pieces by saying that these rebels who found you knocked you out to deliver a message” Junmyeon shoves his hands in his pockets. “And now, Baekhyun is holding a grudge over those who had _hurt_ you”

 

He wanted to say something in protest, to argue about accusing the rebels that might lead into more pain and suffering on both their parts – but, Junmyeon was right. Junmyeon was _always_ right. They had to end this activist movement, they had to retrieve that core back and-

 

Minseok looks at Baekhyun, his face flushing a bright red when finally, _finally_ he got to tangle his fingers over his soft – _overwhelming_ soft brown hair. Now did he truly realize how he missed Baekhyun so damn much that by merely seeing him gave him happiness.

 

He trails his eyes to look at his folded coat, picturing where the pockets were and –

 

“Don’t worry” another silent question Junmyeon quickly answers, knowing exactly what Minseok was looking at. “I’ve taken the liberty to hide it inside your bag to avoid spoiling your surprise”

 

Saying nothing, Minseok looks at Junmyeon with overflowing gratitude.

 

Junmyeon smiles brightly, teasing. “Advanced congratulations to the both of you then”

 

“Thank you Junmyeon” Minseok flushes and avoids eye-contact earning him a hearty laugh. “but-“

 

_There’s always that_ but.

 

The smile on Junmyeon’s face disappears getting the drift of what he was thinking. “You know that you still have to tell him about it”

 

“Do I really have to?” the words fell off of Minseok’s tongue were faint and was barely a whisper.

 

“That’s the way it has to be” Junmyeon stands up peering down at his watch tapping it with two fingers.  “Time’s ticking Minseok”

 

“You sound so grim and fatalistic and it’s not helping”

 

“I _am_ grim and fatalistic” Junmyeon grins sadly.

 

Minseok says nothing staring out the window overlooking the Capitol.

 

“I better go, I still have to discuss with the others about this hearing” Junmyeon walks over to the door a hand reaching out to halt before the knob as he looks over to his shoulders, “Minseok”

 

Upon hearing his name he darts his eyes at the Director of Artificial Intelligence who had the face of sympathy and care.

 

“I care for you like a brother and I want to keep you safe. _We_ want to keep you safe” he quickly glances at the sleeping Baekhyun. “So please, come to the hearing” Junmyeon yanks the door open and smiles, “I hope to see you there, brother”

 

Silence. That’s what came after when Junmyeon closed the door behind him. Absolute silence.

 

* * *

 

 

It plagued him in that silence. That amount of heaviness, burden he was going to share with Baekhyun if he ever confesses his sickness that he couldn’t go back to sleep.

 

_Time’s ticking._ Death’s clock was ticking on his wrist waiting for Minseok’s time to come.

 

How was he going to start off in his confession?

 

Minseok clears his throat – like that would do anything – and recites in his mind.

 

_‘Puppy Baek, I have cancer and-‘_ he stops. _‘That’s too straightforward. Let me try again’_ he pauses, gathering some words and, _‘I’ve got something to say. Puppy, I’ve got some good news and bad news. The good news is well, I have suppressant and the bad news is- fuck, that…that is…’_ he shakes his head.

 

How was he going to pull this off?

 

_‘Baekhyun, I have something to tell you…’_ Minseok closes his eyes, heaving a not-so-assuring deep breath. _‘I have cancer and- no, don’t cry like that Baek, I- please stop crying’_ he tells himself in his thoughts again and again living the horrors of his imaginations of Baekhyun crying once he learns of the truth about his condition that he himself couldn’t fight off the tears in his eyes.

 

Minseoks bolts up to bury his face in his palms. _‘I can’t do this’_ he shakes his head. _‘I can’t do this. I can’t do this. I can’t do this!’_

He wanted to scream his heart out. He wanted to say it to the world that he was dying in a slow painful death from his bones and brittle body. But. _But_ _he just can’t do it._

_Time’s ticking._

“Time’s ticking…” Minseok agonizingly slides his palms slowly from his face dropping them to the sheets.

 

_Time is ticking and I still have to find the cure._

_Time is ticking and I haven’t changed The World._

_Time is ticking and I’m not even cured._

_Time is ticking and I don’t want to say goodbye._

A soft groan tore Minseok away from those haunting thoughts to find Baekhyun slowly waking up.  Minseok coos when Baekhyun groggily shifts from the side of the hospital bed and rubbed his eyes awake.

 

“Hey” he greets Baekhyun with a warm, peaceful smile.

 

Baekhyun didn’t even took the time to delay when he jumps from his feet and takes Minseok into an embrace. He buries his head onto the crook of his neck and purrs.

 

Minseok wraps his arms around him, the rush of joy washing over his whole body taking away the apprehension of the grim fate that was to come. Minseok stares at his bag where Junmyeon mention he hid the velvet box away for safe keeping.

 

_Time’s ticking._

His body tensed, tightening his embrace on Baekhyun praying that they’ll never break apart. He’d rather stay like this forever and feel Baekhyun’s beating heart in rhythm with his if it was possible.

 

_‘I need to tell him’_

 

“You’re awake, thank goodness” Baekhyun breathlessly murmurs into his shoulders.

 

_Tick. Tock. Tick. Tock._

 

“I thought I’d lost you”

 

Minseok’s heart stopped.

When they tore away, Baekhyun immediately scoops the mocha bread Junmyeon brought and fed Minseok gleefully, his puppy eyes shining brightly with pure relief and happiness. Despite being happy on the outside, Minseok was beyond terrified within himself. Baekhyun doesn’t seem to notice that somehow and it was a blessing Minseok thought.

_‘Look at him. He’s so…’_

“Minseok! Eat up, don’t starve yourself. I don’t want to see you dead by morning” Baekhyun puffs his cheeks combined with his lips pursed into a kissy face that had Minseok blushing wildly and laughed.

 

_‘Happy’_

His throat went dry and saw how Baekhyun looked so contented in his seat to see him awake and talking that Minseok didn’t have the courage to see that be ripped away when he confesses.

_‘I can’t tell him’_ he sighs heavily, eyes still directed at his happy, beautiful face. _‘I just…can’t’_

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


	6. Chapter Five

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                                
  


 

Evening came Minseok was discharged from the hospital and was now standing in front of the door to their house.

 

It wasn’t at all a fancy house. It doesn’t even look like it belonged to a world-class scientist such as himself and a famous fashion model like Baekhyun. It was actually a simple white two-story house with a small backyard where their garden of herbs and flowers were located and an apple tree with a swing dangling on one of its large branches. A simple house for two people who wants to live a simple life just like they wanted.

 

“I hope you remember that this is where you _live_ ” Baekhyun teases unlocking the door with his keys and went inside. They were greeted by a warm air brushing to pass their cheeks. It seemed like they left their fireplace unchecked and Baekhyun hurriedly went to investigate.

 

Minseok looks around hanging his jacket by a coat rack. The cream-colored walls were still the same polished and clean just like the way he wanted it to be. The hazelnut brown wooden floors squeaky and spotless. He looks to the left to find the stuffy kitchen, to the right where the stairs to the second-floor went and in front where Baekhyun was crouching in front of the living room’s fireplace cooling it down.

 

He steps inside the living room, the white intricate carpet soft beneath his socks. Everything in the living room were untouched as well. The right wall where it was converted into a large bookshelf was neatly arranged by author, the coffee table and couches in the middle of the room were still there and the glass windows covered by the three layered wool curtains were shut.

 

“There, that should do it” Baekhyun said contentedly standing up to dust his hands.

 

“You mean to say you left the fire crackling the whole day?” Minseok leans by the wall with an impish grin. Baekhyun doesn’t say anything. Instead, he turns his head to just stare quietly at Minseok with peaceful eyes. Minseok cocks a brow up, “What’s the matter?”

 

“Nothing much. I’m just happy to see familiar eyes staring back at me here at home” Baekhyun smiles to himself his heart leaping with contentment and shrugs. “We haven’t eaten dinner yet have we?”

 

“I’ll cook” he offers. There was some kind of urge that kicked him to say it, something that could perhaps make it up to Baekhyun.

 

“No, no. You stay put and rest”

 

“I just got hit on the head Baekhyun. It’s not like I lost my skills in cooking” he insists and tries to squeeze pass Baekhyun who blocked him everywhere he went.

 

Baekhyun glowers, arms spread out. “I’m cooking. Period”

 

Resigning to his beloved’s determination to cook for dinner, he nods and pats his head dearly. He laughs as Baekhyun recoils. “Okay, you’re cooking”

 

Baekhyun smiles triumphantly and pushes him out of the living room and directed him to the stairs. “Take a bath first, I can smell so many chemicals rubbing off of on you” he sneezes twice after he mentioned it. “See? You’re going to make me sick”

 

“Then I’ll take care of you” Minseok felt victorious seeing Baekhyun’s face flush caught off-guard by his sudden coddling.

 

“Just take a bath” Baekhyun pushes Minseok towards a step of the stairs concealing his flustered face. Without any other choice, Minseok climbs upstairs to their master bedroom.

 

The master bedroom was the same as well. The queen-sized bed in the middle still had that same coffee-colored sheets and paper white pillows, the cream carpets underneath had no trace of dusts anywhere, his study table filled with folders, files and paperwork were all tucked away neatly into place and Baekhyun’s personal favourite wall on the left where his corkboard was located were filled with polaroid pictures of both him and Minseok. Alongside the pictures were Baekhyun’s lovey-dovey quotes he found on books that he would always recite to him every night and also lyrics from his favourite songs.

 

One of the polaroids attached on the corkboard was a picture of the both of them watching a musical called: **_Wicked_** , Baekhyun’s favourite broadway musical. On the other, there was a picture of Minseok wearing a **_Pinocchio_** costume which Baekhyun drew a heart over with an orange pen.

 

Minseok smiles. Yep, Baekhyun was the creative one indeed.

 

Surprisingly after the long hours that passed, Minseok hasn’t felt any pain in his spine. Whatever drug those doctors had injected in him it was helping him breathe easier – for now.  It only gave Minseok an idea however, to make use of this advantage and work all night to find that cure without any interruptions and -

 

_The Cure._ He tells himself. _If I find the Cure now…_

 

He shook his head in negation brushing his fingers down from one of the pictures of him and Baekhyun smiling and dropped his hands to the sides as Junmyeon’s voice rang in his head: _Time’s ticking._

Minseok stares blankly at the photo of him and Baekhyun back when they had peaceful days, back when he could sleep all day long without having the trouble of waking up in excruciating pain or worries of losing that smile of the one he loved. Back when he…

 

He slips his fingers under the photo and unpins it from the corkboard with nothing in his mind but the very image of Baekhyun’s smile. He grazed his fingers gently like what he would do to him every day. Minseok then runs his eyes over to his image, giving it one considerable look before covering his picture with his palm. His brows twitched, his heart sank and he found his mouth drooping into a long frown.

 

_Time’s ticking._

_What if one day…I’m not there anymore?_  

 

_I’m terrified…_

 

* * *

 

Baekhyun was happily humming to himself whipping up the best salmon dish he learned recently from watching too much Master Chef. He made sure to keep the temperature right, the spice and texture to send electricity in each bite and imagined Gordon Ramsey to be screaming at him if he ever did wrong. He wouldn’t want to make Minseok vomit now that he’s finally back home with him after all.

 

_Home. Minseok’s home._ Baekhyun smiles, his eyes disappearing into small crescents with a tummy overflowing with butterflies.

 

He could remember the horrors his thoughts conjured when he heard Minseok was hospitalized and a great terror shadowed his heart fearing that he will never see him again but then, his prayers were answered. Now, when he turned around from the fireplace earlier and saw Minseok leaning back smiling at him, Baekhyun was beyond relieved and the immediate feeling to jump and embrace him, kiss him and shower him all those words he tells that only the moon at night could hear. Now that Minseok was back, Baekhyun felt at ease.

 

After artistically plating the two dishes and setting up the table, Baekhyun takes out one scented candle and places it in the middle of the dining table. He dimmed the lights letting the small candle light illuminate an orange glow around the room. To complete the romantic dinner table, Baekhyun took out a burgundy wine he’s been saving for a special occasion.

 

“I think every day’s a special occasion with Minseok” Baekhyun’s face warmed and his feet felt like flying.

 

He takes out a sticky note from the refrigerator and writes the words: _every day is a special day with you._ He then sticks it on the fridge door and smiles contently to himself.

 

With their dinner set neatly and beautifully and Baekhyun gave himself enough praise, he climbs up to call Minseok for his surprise.

 

“Marco!” Baekhyun calls out, their little game to locate where the other one was.

 

“Polo!” Minseok’s voice came from inside the bedroom.

 

“Minseok! Dinner’s ready and-“

 

The excitement and momentary happiness Baekhyun had was immediately erased to find Minseok with his nose buried deep into his once neatly tucked away paper works that only boiled rage in Baekhyun.

 

“What are you doing?” annoyance thick in his voice.

 

Minseok takes a quick glance at Baekhyun before looking down back to his paper with a smile. “Do I smell dinner?”

 

Baekhyun slumps his shoulders in disbelief noticing Minseok avoiding the question again. “Are you working right now, like seriously?”

“Give me five minutes” there was guilt evident in his tone and Baekhyun hated it.

 

“I can’t believe you! You just got out of the hospital after being attacked by those rebels!”

 

“I wasn’t attacked” the Sehun boy didn’t touch him and it was a truth but Minseok kept his voice quiet remembering that Junmyeon created a lie to prevent Baekhyun for ever finding out his condition.

 

It worked to Minseok’s relief, but it only made everything worse. “Will you stop working for once and _relax_?”

 

_Time’s ticking._

“I will relax. Just as soon as I finish in finding it” _as soon as I find The Cure, I can finally_ rest.

 

“How long are you going to keep this up?!”

 

_How long are you going to keep this up Minseok?._ Those were the exact same words Junmyeon asked him earlier and now Baekhyun was resonating the same question.

 

How long was he going to keep this up? How long was he going to find this cure? What if one day all of his searching goes to waste because there was no cure for cancer? What about Kyungsoo? What about the thousands who suffers the same fate as them? What about him? What about Baekhyun?

 

_What about Baekhyun?_

_Time’s ticking._

 

Baekhyun lets out a frustrated sigh and snatches the paper from Minseok’s hands and throws it over the bed. He has enough of this nonsense and workaholic obsession Minseok has.

 

Minseok stares at Baekhyun with complete utter shock and was taken aback. “How could you do that!?”

 

“You just got home from the hospital, you’re not fully recovered yet and now you’re going to overwork yourself again!” Baekhyun wretches a pocket mirror from one of his drawers and flashes in front of Minseok’s face. “You look sickly pale and you’re still working! How can I _not_ do that?”

 

It was true. Minseok almost fell off his chair. When was the last time he looked in the mirror? It was horrible to see how devastatingly sick he looked. His chubby cheeks were gone, his face was thinner and the sharpness of his bones was strikingly horrid. His eyes were blood-shot with dark circles looming below his bags, his lips drained out of color and even his collar bones were sticking out that he had to hold back a gasp. He looked like death had already claimed him.

 

When Minseok got a good look at his ghastly features, he found it more harrowing to find Baekhyun’s already tear-stained cheeks that had him cursing at himself. His heart stopped, his lips parted but no words came out as Baekhyun takes away the mirror.

 

“Just for one night Minseok, one night I beg of you” the words came out were in hushed whispers as the tears kept flowing down Baekhyun’s cheeks. “Just one night, please just one night let me be in your world Minseok”

 

_You are my world Baek. This is why I want to find the Cure, why I’m working so hard after all these months, why I stayed in that freaking laboratory for days so I can get better. So I can…_

 

Minseok wanted to brush his thumb over his eyes and wipe those dreaded tears away but he couldn’t. Wanted to tell him the truth about his sickness, about his fate, about the time he has left to be with him.

 

_Time’s ticking._

 

“I miss you so damn much, you know? I haven’t seen here for almost a week now and sometimes I imagine you’ll never come home anymore and with those activists infiltrating Green Octagon and endangered your life, I got so terrified in fear that one day, I won’t see you come home anymore” stronger currents of tears fell from all over his eyes and Baekhyun found it harder to breathe.

 

Minseok’s throat went dry to hear the fear of never returning home to him, to Baekhyun. It only scared him even more to hear Baekhyun confirm the exact same thing he wanted to prevent from happening. His heart was constricted, his stomach turned.

_You have to tell him someday and you know it._ Junmyeon’s voice echoed in the back of his mind.

 

“You’re so damn stubborn that you don’t care about your own health anymore and it’s driving me insane! Look at yourself! You’re still working even when you’re too damn exhausted!”

 

That one cry of hurt and pain flashing through Baekhyun’s eyes was what triggered Minseok to finally stand up from his seat and ran over to take him in his arms not wanting to see any more pain from his lover. Baekhyun lets himself melt, wrapping his own arms around his waist and relished in the embrace he had always longed for the days when Minseok was nowhere in their house.

 

Minseok too had missed it. Missed how soft Baekhyun was, how intoxicating his scent was, how smooth his skin and how silky his hair felt grazing over his cheeks. He also missed feeling the natural warmth Baekhyun exudes whenever they’re close like this and Minseok let himself melt along with him and closed his eyes, holding Baekhyun tighter until they could stick like glue.

 

He was sorry. Sorry for every pain he had caused Baekhyun, every misunderstanding he wished he could say so they could ease each other’s pain. So sorry that…that he didn’t have the courage to tell him that time, was ticking.

 

“Time’s ticking” he whispers into Baekhyun’s ears with a small smile. “Then let me be selfish and let you be mine for a night. Let me be yours for tonight”

 

* * *

 

 

“Thanks for the meal. It was delicious pup” Minseok says sipping on the mug in his hands the exuberant brewed coffee.

 

“Of course, I’m fabulous after all” Baekhyun who chose to sit on the carpeted floor instead of the couch with Minseok smiles with eyes directed to the embers flickering from the fireplace. The very image of Minseok wolfing down his salmon dish with the sauce messily smeared over the corner of his mouth never failed to register. He chuckled inwardly and swayed.

 

The night was peaceful and the living room warm. Baekhyun had never felt so at home, and he could only achieve this kind of comfortable happiness when Minseok’s with him.

 

Standing up after finishing his coffee, Minseok walks to the kitchen a photo slipped from his pockets. Baekhyun picks up the peculiar little polaroid and smiles brightly. “Someone stole a pinned photo from my corkboard”

 

Minseok halts and looks over his shoulder to find Baekhyun waving the photo in his hand. He merely shrugs with an infamous lopsided grin.

 

Baekhyun plops back down folding his legs underneath him. “I’ve heard from one of my friends that the Broadway Musical Wicked is coming back to perform this year. I was wondering, since you’re a person who doesn’t seem to like singing-“

 

“Except yours” Minseok winks.

 

“Except mine” Baekhyun’s teeth flashed and he wiggles petulantly in his seat in delight with Minseok’s comment. “I hope you won’t get bored but, I was wondering if you’d want to watch it with me again”

 

Minseok comes back and sits back down on his place on the couch and leans down to meet Baekhyun’s face with a grin, his heart beating faster and faster the closer he got to him. “I’d love to watch it with you again and I never get bored with you puppy”

 

Inside the pockets of his pants, Minseok could feel the heaviness of the ring calling to him, urging him to pull it out and lay out the promises he was meaning to make: a full and happy life with Byun Baekhyun. But-

 

He leans away from that potential kiss that was supposed to take place. He wanted to give in and kiss him, he wanted to taste his lips and surprise him by slipping the ring out but he didn’t. Baekhyun, sensing his hesitation, retracted from him as well.

 

_There’s that_ **but** again: _I’m slowly dying._

 

_How am I going to tell him?_ Minseok bites his lip in apprehension.

 

“Is something the matter Minseok?” came Baekhyun’s sweet voice of concern snapping him out of his thoughts.

 

Minseok stares at Baekhyun for a long considerable moment before he responded, “I just remembered something” he directs his eyes to the fireplace, his eyes lining with the color of amber. “Do you know the story of the One-Hundred Days on Earth?”

 

“Everyone knows that story Minseok” Baekhyun leans his cheek on the seat of the couch in amusement. “What’s got you so curious about it? I thought you don’t believe in such _“unscientific”_ story”

 

“It’s kind of fascinating really, the funny concept of the afterlife where in this story, they don’t exactly immediately go to heaven or hell rather, their souls roam around the earth for a hundred days. They go around searching for answers they never got when they were still alive, go to places they went or never visited, see their loved ones one last time before they disappear forever on their last day”

 

It was a pathetic excuse to dive indirectly into the topic of dying but…

 

“I’m impressed Dr. Kim Minseok, you actually believe such a story!”

 

“Hey, even though I’m a man of science, it doesn’t mean I don’t have the right to like stories like that” he says in his defense.

 

“I’m no Scientist but those kind of stories are rubbish really”

 

“You think its rubbish? Gasp! Are you sure Byun Baekhyun?” Minseok laughing at his joke.

 

“It’s a children’s story Kim Minseok, just like Pinocchio wanting to be a real boy. That’s how rubbish it is” Baekhyun laughs happily.

 

“So is Wicked and the Wizard of Oz”

 

“You take that back!” Baekhyun slaps Minseok’s knee and pouts petulantly, a little jokingly offended by Minseok calling his favourite story and musical stupid.

 

“Come on, a Tin Man wishing for a heart? A Scarecrow wishing for a Brain?” Minseok makes a teasing kissy face when Baekhyun scrunching his nose and struck out his tongue.

 

“You know nothing Kim Minseok” Baekhyun bit his lip, repressing that goofy smile curving from his lip.

 

“I may not know everything in the world, I don’t know if there’s really another planet inhabited by aliens, if souls do really stay to roam the earth for a hundred days, or a wizard who grants wishes, or if there really is a God but I assure you, the only thing I believe that is _real_ is that, I love you Byun Baekhyun”

 

Baekhyun was speechless, his eyes bulging out of its sockets. He leans away to look into Minseok’s eyes and wondered if he had gone mad, but there were no evidence in it. It was all just genuine and heart felt words and a widening smile.

 

“I love you and my love for you is real. If there was really a Wizard of Oz, I will wish nothing else but be by your side at all times puppy”

 

“You haven’t read the Wizard of Oz or actually paid attention to Wicked, have you Minseok?”

 

A guilty blush and smile.

 

Baekhyun throws his head back and laughs fruitfully. “The Wizard’s a fraud Kim Minseok”

 

“Then the list of why it’s a rubbish story too goes on” he says and earned a smack on his knees.

 

Shortly after, Minseok felt the ring growing heavy in his pockets. He reached for it and held the ring in his palms, fondling it ever so lovingly while staring at Baekhyun.

 

“What now?” Baekhyun cocks a brow, his face beaming.

 

Minseok grips the ring tight in his hands. He wanted to pull it out – he didn’t. “Even if I don’t ask that fraud of a Wizard from Oz, I would say that my wish has been long granted”

 

And there, they stare at each like that in the middle of the living room in front of the fireplace and only the sounds of their beating hearts panged in their ears and the mutual feeling of peace and undeniable happiness apparent from their smiles and bright-red stained cheeks.

 

Baekhyun’s eyes jolted with his heart leaping uncontrollably in his chest to find Minseok taking him into his arms and hauling him up to sit on top of his lap. He wasn’t supposed to be surprised to see how strong Minseok but to have him be carried to sit beside him was- he didn’t care anymore, he submits himself to the butterflies in his stomach begging him to kiss Minseok back with a fiery passion to make up for those days and even months when they didn’t see each other.

 

They moan into each other’s lips, relishing in that sudden burst of fire that exploded from their mouths surging all over their veins with the panging hunger in their heart. Synchronized breathing and frantic hands going crazy just to touch each other’s skin, pulling each other closer until they could glue themselves and never separate in fear that they’ll let go once the kiss is over.

 

Baekhyun grew weak, his head falling right into the couch’s pillowed arm rest with Minseok straddling above him. Minseok pecks his lips thrice slowly that their lips would stick until they would part until he dives in for another passionate kiss but slower this time, as if he they had all the time in the world.

 

_Time is ticking._

“I love you so much Baekhyun” Minseok breathes into Baekhyun’s mouth.

_I love you and no cancer’s going to separate you from me._

 

He let his mind drift into a wonderland that transported the both of them in their passionate kisses until they both fell asleep naked in front of the fireplace on the carpeted floor.

 

 

 

 

 


	7. Chapter Six

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am so sorry for updating sooo late. A lot of drama has happened for the past year and the past month :( But I promise to double-update this! :D Thanks for the un-ending support guys T_T This means a lot to me <3

 

* * *

**CHAPTER SIX**

 

“Puppy, you’re going to get wet. C’mere” Minseok opens up his umbrella and chases Baekhyun who was already happily sauntering to the café across the street.

 

The bleak greys skies were pouring heavy drops of rain and Baekhyun loved every moment of it. He looks up to the clouds and closes his eyes relishing the cold icy sting each tear the clouds showered him. Baekhyun loved the rain, there was just something that washes calmness over him that he didn’t care whether he’ll get drenched or sick after.

 

Minseok however, was furious. He tugs Baekhyun into an embrace under his umbrella and growls when he meets his smiling face. “Look at you, you’re soaking wet!”

 

“It’s just rain Minseok, it’s not acid” Baekhyun wraps his arms tighter around Minseok cooing in his warmth.

 

“I don’t want you to get sick” he huffs a worried sigh and pulls Baekhyun closer to share what little warmth and shelter from the rain he could provide him.

 

“You told me you’re going to take care of me when I get sick, right?” Baekhyun nuzzles his cheeks on Minseok’s neck and smiles happily. “Then I’d gladly get sick”

 

Minseok chuckles. “Silly pup”

 

“Umbrellas are for children. Real men run in the rain” at the mention of it, Baekhyun breaks free from Minseok’s arms and runs across the street with a taunting expression.

 

Helpless on how childish and active his lover was, Minseok kept his pace slow with an amused face until he reached the café door where Baekhyun had already picked out a table for them. He took a seat across him until a waiter came with their orders.

 

The café was serene, save for the jazz music playing to lighten up the dim atmosphere moreover from the rain that made the place gloomier than it usually was.

 

Tranquil in eating his toast, he almost choked when Baekhyun muttered out the following words, “Last night was amazing”

 

Minseok pounded his chest trying to cough out the toast stuck in his throat, completely astonished to his lover’s sudden praise. He covered his mouth and let the redness of his face speak on behalf of his embarrassment and shock.

 

“Let’s do that again” Baekhyun sing-songs sipping on his coffee.

 

“Shhh. Stop blurting it out in public like that!” he kept his voice low not wanting to attract more attention from the waitress who had stiffened in her place – she probably heard Baekhyun’s remark.

 

Baekhyun rests a palm under his chin curling his lips. “I love you Kim Minseok”

 

“I told you not to run in the rain. Now I think you’re really sick”

 

“I like it when you’re flustered. It’s adorable”

 

Oh how Minseok wanted to dig out the ring from his pockets. Just staring at Baekhyun and hearing him say these words were weakening him. How he wanted to see him look flustered himself when he goes down on his knees, the ring in his hands and finally, _finally_ ask him to share a life with him.

 

_Time’s ticking._

 

That morning he woke up sprawled naked with Baekhyun in the living room, Minseok just stared up into the ceiling envisioning a future as if he could see it with his own eyes right before him. When they shared a night together, Minseok felt like he was flying, felt like he was in heaven and every second he spent it with Baekhyun…he was alive. Every kiss, every breath they shared breathed life into him.

 

Time was ticking he told himself, and he wanted nothing more than to spend even just a little bit of quality time with Baekhyun.  So, that morning, Minseok called Junmyeon up and transferred some files through their database.

 

_“Wh-why are you giving me the formulas for The Cure?”_ Junmyeon hesitates, his eyes widening at the extraordinary data he received – Minseok always overwhelms him with his genius.

 

_“Junmyeon, you were right. Time’s ticking and I would want to spend my remaining time while I’m strong with Baekhyun”_ he said through his watch emanating Junmyeon’s face from the hologram.

 

_“Are you going to tell him?”_

 

A sad, struggling smile; a confirmation. _“You said two is better than one. So, I want to implore you Junmyeon”_

 

_“What is it?”_ from the hologram, Junmyeon asks.

 

Minseok takes a quick glance at the polaroid photo of him and Baekhyun with the velvet box containing the engagement ring and smiles. _“Please help me find the Cure, brother”_

 

There was an inner debate apparent in Junmyeon’s face, a clear uncertainty. But, he accepted it. _“Of course brother”_

 

_Time’s ticking._

 

_I have to tell him._

 

As if his hands had a mind of their own, Minseok reaches Baekhyun’s warm hands wrapping his cold ones around it. Baekhyun doesn’t flinch, doesn’t dare to ask why but his face changed seeing Minseok take a deep breath and closed his eyes.

 

Minseok’s thoughts raced with alarm and danger, but there was no other choice than to tell the truth.

 

_If I tell him now, there’s no going back._ He lets out a sigh. _If I tell him I’m sick, I’ll have to give the ring up._

 

The ring burned in his pockets.

 

_Am I willing to give up his smiles if I tell him that I’m dying?_

 

“Minseok?” came a soft concerned whisper from Baekhyun.

 

Minseok‘s eyes fluttered open to find Baekhyun with a confused look. He intertwines their fingers and stares at their clasped hands fighting an inner conflict in himself.

 

_How do you tell someone you’re dying without hurting each other?_

 

“What’s happening outside?” a waitress said halting in her place, cutting off the train of thought in Minseok’s mind about telling Baekhyun that-

 

Minseok and Baekhyun both turned their heads to look out the large glass windows of the café, amidst the strong downpour of rain, there were Robocops in a straight line guiding soaked, scruffy and ragged looking men and women through the streets. Citizens of the Capitol all cleared out from their way in disgust.

 

“Who are they?” asked one of the customers inside the café.

 

“The Rebels” Minseok stands up from his seat to approach the doors of the café.  He didn’t know why he wanted to go out and look for that Sehun boy, but he found himself reaching out to activate the sliding door and-

 

Baekhyun however, tugs him back beside him with fear crystal clear from his eyes. He steps in front of to block him from further stepping near the door and wraps his arms to bury Minseok’s eyes into the crook of his neck, not wanting him to watch the rebels marching just outside. The same rebels that had his soul knocked out of him when he heard they infiltrated Green Octagon Hospital and sent Minseok unconscious.

 

That familiar twist of fear strangled Baekhyun’s heart, moreover when Minseok’s phone began ringing and when he flipped it open, Kim Junmyeon’s name flashed across the screen.

 

“Junmyeon?” at the mere mention of his name, Baekhyun snaps at Minseok.

 

Baekhyun’s heart was racing as Minseok’s questioning face contorts into a furrow between his brows and narrowing eyes. He knew then that something was definitely not right.

 

“Junmyeon-“ Minseok would break into short words of protests, but all he could do in reality was pinch the bridge of his nose with an agitated expression and remained quiet.

 

When he finished and bid a goodbye of dismay, Baekhyun immediately grabs his hands and shakes them. “What did Junmyeon say?”

 

But his lover said nothing, only giving him an unreadable blank glance as he tucks his phone away from his seeing eyes. Baekhyun shook Minseok again, demanding an answer – or rather at this point, _begging_.

 

“I have to go” Minseok says flatly, his face expressionless.

 

Minseok starts on his heel, heading to the door and –

 

He stops midway, turns around to look one last time at Baekhyun’s lost expression, a silent shattering of his now stilled heart echoing in his ears.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Baekhyun takes one heavy step toward him; a silent plead. Dr. Kim Minseok gives one sad smile, clutching the ring in his pockets. He looks at his lover, his whole life flashing in his eyes, a future he dreamed overlapping and fades into suffering, Kyungsoo’s mutual sickness with him and the Court hearing for the rebel cause until it stop into Baekhyun’s face once more.

 

There was uncertainty in Minseok’s eyes. He wasn’t sure whether he was truly concerned about the Court hearing and help the People such as Sehun, or that he was…he was using this as a scapegoat and runaway from telling Baekhyun the truth.

 

He was just uncertain about everything nowadays that he himself doesn't know what to do with his life anymore. But he had left The Cure data files to Junmyeon, at least one of his tasks can be done. But why can't he at least do this one thing? Why can't he just tell Baekhyun that he - 

 

Decided, Minseok steps outside and left Baekhyun standing alone in their crumbling world.

  
  


* * *

 


	8. Chapter Seven

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                            

* * *

 

 

**CHAPTER SEVEN**  


 

Minseok arrives at the gates of The Court where a sea of bystanders mixed with the citizens of the Capitol and protesters - the rebellious activists called The People – gathered, swarming around the vicinity under that thick heavy rain.

 

At least seventy guards stationed around kept them at bay from breaching the gates and kept a careful eye. When Minseok stepped down from the gliding vehicle with an umbrella out, three guards immediately rushed and aided him inside not letting the media get even one quick question out from their lips.

 

He peers from his shoulders once he heard a man in a fine blue silk tuxedo from the side supporting Mechatron spit foul words towards an activist garbed in the same tattered clothes Sehun wore, who in return wanted to claw his face that one of their Robocops had to intervene to prevent any harm.

 

Minseok takes one more look to the crowd searching for the familiar face of Sehun before he was tugged inside by one of the scientists who was surprised to see him actually attending the hearing.

 

“Is Junmyeon here?” Minseok inquires, closing the umbrella and handing it over to a droid by the stairs.

 

The scientist shrugs. “I haven’t seen him anywhere, but I did see Lay roaming around just a while ago”

 

Minseok blinks. “Lay’s here?”

 

“Yeah, he looked a little fidgety though too” the scientist squints his eyes in perplex. “Does an Artificial Intelligence do such a thing like that?”

 

“For Lay’s Core Model?” Minseok ponders on it for a while. “It’s possible”

 

“Still, it’s kind of weird to see Lay without Junmyeon beside him though, but I bet Junmyeon’s with the Directors and a lawyer to discuss about dealing with Wu Yi Fan, the rebel cause’s leader”

 

“Wu Yi Fan’s really coming?”

 

“I heard that man is cunning, strong-willed and motivating as hell that’s why even some from the middle-classes opted to support The People” the scientist shivers. “I don’t even know where the hell he got the knowledge to infiltrate Green Octagon and take those Yellow Cores. Wherever they got it, Yi Fan is one hell of a genius if he figures out how to use that core to his advantage for the rebellion”

 

Minseok grimaces at the scientist, foreseeing the next sentence he was about to utter and cuts him off. “You can’t be serious”

 

“Don’t you feel it in the air?” the scientist shudders again, a cold sweat running down his spine. “Civil War is coming and this hearing is our only hope to stop it”

 

“I don’t think these people who are already scarce in food and resources will even choose to die for a war they know they cannot win. We have Droids and Bots that can wipe out five people in one strike, I don’t think these activists will risk their lives just like that if you claim that their leader Wu Yi Fan is a genius”

 

Distressed screams and angry shouting overshadowing one another exploded from the crowd that had the two of them snapping their attention. The crowd was restless, both supporters and antis were charging head on and the Robocops and guards flanking did their best to keep everyone in line.

 

“This does not bode well for all of us” the scientists murmurs horribly with another shudder. He looks at Minseok and nods, “I better get going. You should too Dr. Kim”

 

Before the scientist could go on his way, Minseok calls him out. “Where did you last see Lay again?”

 

-

 

Minseok constantly checked his phone expecting Baekhyun’s name to flash across the screen, but none ever came. He sighs, knowing too well that his lover was beyond upset right now to even send a message. It hurts him, but he had no choice. If he was to live a happy and safe life with Baekhyun, attending this Court Hearing was for the best – or that’s what he wants to let himself believe.

 

_‘I was that close in telling him that I’m sick. I was ready to tell him everything, handle the betrayal he’ll feel. I was ready to kneel down and say-“_ Minseok stops in his tracks, staring down at the ring on his palm.  He steps back, pressing himself against the wall behind him and closes his eyes, balling up his fists as he thought to himself. _Coward, blasted coward._

 

All his thoughts were drowned out when a couple of guards sprinted passed by in front of him, muttering words like _‘Damn rebels’_ and _‘Wu Yi Fan’._

 

Wu Yi Fan. The leader of the rebellion against Mechas. Another problem Minseok has to deal with other than his sickness and finding The Cure. Truth be told, this man was once in the military line until he was casted out by his superiors for letting the people from the slums breach into the Charity’s Bank where all the supply of donations were stored. And without any support and money, Wu Yi Fan deserted the military and ran off to live in the slums.

 

The ex-military’s actions weren’t so bad, Minseok thought. In fact, it was very kind of him to have given those who were unfortunate the food, water and clothes they needed. It was a cold winter after all, and defying the system wasn’t a big of a deal. Was it? Minseok would’ve done it as well. Actually, he recently just did.

 

That time with the Sehun boy who carried stolen medicines to give back to his home. His people. At such a young age, the idea of sacrificing everything for survival, even when they knew that it could cost their life, they still infiltrated Green Octagon. And for Minseok to spare his life and let him run off with the stolen goods, he considered himself the same as Wu Yi Fan.

 

“It’s a good thing, right?” Minseok huffs a deep sigh.

 

What was even a good thing to him anyway? Lying isn’t good, he knew that and yet, he continues to lie about his condition to the one closest to him. Would continuing to lie to Baekhyun actually make his world perfect?

 

Minseok opens his eyes filled with a new glint of hope.

 

It may not be the best solution, but Minseok knew, he had to start somewhere. And that _somewhere_ starts with _trust_. To avoid civil war by uniting everyone from the capitol and the slums with a foundation of trust. To have the courage to…to tell Baekhyun about his condition. To trust himself that he can make it, he can tell it to him once it for all and together, he and his lover can face everything in this world. Even if it means hurting one another.

 

_‘Sacrifices must be made’_ Minseok remembers the data files he sent Junmyeon. The data files he had been working on for how many months now. Remembers all the missed days he promised Baekhyun so he could cure himself from cancer and his tumor. Remembers that all this sacrifices, was for a better world.

 

“For a better world…” he smiles. “I may not be a god, but with the little things I can share, I can help make the biggest change for all”

 

As if he wasn’t diagnosed with any deadly sickness, Minseok pushes himself off from the wall and started walking until it turned into sprinting and then, into running. Words flooded his mind, going through it carefully, memorizing each and every vocabulary he had formed where he could speak up and share in the hearing. To enlighten his comrades, the rebels, everybody watching and Wu Yi Fan that there is a better way in dealing with the situation rather than undergoing civil war.

 

_‘I’ll save Mechatron, I’ll save the Capitol, I’ll save everyone!’_ he screamed it in his thoughts. Every fiber of his being pushing him to reach the doors of the court and –

 

A swift unhuman movement blew past Minseok until he bumped into the Mecha Lay, whose arms were spread out, preventing him to take a step further to the door. Minseok tried to slide to the left and then onto the right, but Lay followed his tracks until the scientist stilled in his place and – _Lay’s eyes._

It was unbelievable how Lay’s designed peaceful eyes shifted into this dark and intimidating glare of warning that if Minseok ever disobeyed him, the Mecha might strike and go rabid. But Lay wasn’t designed to be like that – or was this Artificial Intelligence developed such a behaviour that he might actually do something so violent?

 

Minseok didn’t know why this Mecha has been eyeing him ever since he last saw him back in Green Octagon Hospital, but seeing Lay like this, it sure scared him to think what might happen next.

 

Without any word, Lay yanks Minseok’s arm and drags him away from the Court doors. Many bystanders watched them in confusion, wondering where they were going when the hearing was about to start in just a few minutes.

 

Bewildered and wary about Lay, Minseok began to speak. “Lay, where are you taking me?”

 

No response.

 

“Lay, the hearing’s about to start. I have to go there and-“ Minseok was silenced when Lay shot him a piercing glare that sent shivers up his spine. Fearing for whatever has gotten to this Mecha, thinking that his Core might’ve been damaged, Minseok searched frantically around hoping he could find a familiar face.

 

“Junmyeon. Where’s Junmyeon?” Minseok was out of breath, fear evident in his voice.

 

When Lay still wasn’t stopping, Minseok finally yanks him back and lets the Mecha look him straight in the eye. For what it was worth, Minseok hoped that the infused Neurosensory technology in Lay could help him transmit these confused emotions he was having with his abrupt behaviour.

 

“Lay please, tell me” Minseok grips the Mecha’s arm. “What is going on?”

 

Just then, those angry, intimidating eyes melted into unsure, worried ones that had Minseok’s own heart leaping frantically. They were too human. It was so human that Minseok became terrified of whatever Lay’s next words meant.

 

“Danger” Lay finally spoke.

 

And before Minseok could even ask, they heard hurried footsteps, a stampede of scientists, the jury, security guards and rebel leaders running away from the court screaming the same horrifying word.

 

“BOMB!”

 

In a split second, everything turned black, an abrupt sound of a massive explosion was heard followed by a long sting that deafened the very ears of those who were around the vicinity.


	9. Chapter Eight

 

 

 

 

 

 

            

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                                                                            

* * *

 

 

**CHAPTER EIGHT**

 

 

An abrupt chaos and then, there was silence.

 

Baekhyun stood up from his seat, like the faces inside the café, he was unable to comprehend what was it that he just heard. That one incredible boom. What he felt. What, just happened?

 

A one-time big-time shockwave sent the chairs, cups and signboards in a whirl, the air rippled with erratic winds. Uneasiness fell into the café and onto the ghastly faces who watched the bleak sky turn into darkness with ashes pouring as a substitute for rain.

 

“What was that?” one asked as Baekhyun made his way to the sliding doors of the café. “What’s that sound?” another whispered. “Where did it come from?”

 

Thick black smoke rose from the center of the city, bringing in the foul smell of fire. Baekhyun prayed that Minseok wasn’t involved to whatever happened there.

 

Debris fell, shooting like rocks from an erupting volcano that came hailing down, breaking a couple of windows and vehicles. There were those unlucky ones who have been squashed and others hurriedly dialled 9-1-1, doing everything they can to keep the harmed conscious.

 

Baekhyun hurriedly opened his phone and began contacting Minseok – _“The number you have dialled is currently out of reach”._

 

Baekhyun curses, tapping the numbers again and again, hoping that Minseok was alright. _Alive._ To make sure that he was somewhere with Junmyeon drinking their favourite Frappuccino while discussing their new plans together like they always would. To make sure he wasn’t going find him in a hospital bed lying unconscious again, or worse –

 

_“No! That’s not going to happen. It won’t happen it-“_

 

As if in cue, panic-stricken rebels and citizens of the Capitol came flooding through the streets, away from where the explosion had come from. There were frightened screams followed by fists on fists, blaming each other who was ever responsible for that disaster. Rebels and citizens started punching, spitting and kicking each other that led Robocops to snatch them up one by one to cease the chaos.

 

Baekhyun tried to keep himself well away from the fighting, but it didn’t help him ignore the frantic woman who struggled, fighting for her freedom and break free from the Robocop’s grasp. The distraught woman fought, her eyes stained with tears, her face shrouded with dirt.

 

The words the woman screams next immediately blocks out Baekhyun’s hearing. His whole world stops, all turns to black and his heart ceases to beat. He couldn’t find his own voice, couldn’t see as darkness closes in. He felt cold until he turned numb. He couldn’t function properly. So now he wondered, how did his feet have the mind of its own?

 

He found himself _running_.

 

He didn’t tire. He didn’t ask himself why he was running. He didn’t wonder to himself how his feet knew where they were going when there was nothing in his mind. And yet, something pushed him to run faster and _faster_.

 

He hears a voice. That woman from earlier. Her screams melts the numbness away, replacing it with horror as he could hear her in his head repeating the same thing over and over again: _“It’s you filthy rebels! You’ve sent a suicide bomber inside to kill all those scientists!”_ she screamed until her lungs would burst. **_“Murderers! Murderers!”_**

 

_‘She’s lying’_ Baekhyun’s eyes started to well up. _‘A bomb couldn’t possibly-!’_ he shakes his head, doubt was the only thing he could cling onto, but his born pessimism would overshadow that little kindle of hope that whatever the woman was saying was just plain delusional. It couldn’t be, could it? _‘Minseok-ah, Minseok-ah!’_

 

_Please. Don’t take him away from me._

 

 

* * *

 

 

 

Maybe it was numbness, Minseok thought that left him staring into the skies of harsh rain for a long while before he realized he was alive – _still_ alive; trying to _live._

 

He couldn’t tell whether it was blood that streamed down from the corner of his mouth or if it was the rain trickling on his skin. But he surely knew that his whole body was paralyzed - broken. The large blocks of what once was a stone wall of The Court crushed his whole being to sink into the earth. _At least I won’t feel those attacks on my spine anymore,_ he bitterly laughs – tried to laugh.  

 

He tries to move his head sideward, trying to see what has become of the place, his fellow scientists and the people around the vicinity. None. All of them, wiped out and all that remained were the rubble and what was left of the destruction from that blasted explosion.

 

Who planted the bomb? Who managed to get past the security without being detected?

 

_‘Lay’_ he says quietly to himself. His eyes widens for an abrupt moment in surprise for that sudden realization that…a possible suspect – no. Minseok shrugs it off. It couldn’t be possible that Lay would plant a bomb.

 

Lay’s core model wasn’t built for such a thing. Could it?

 

_“Danger”_ Lay whispered to him seconds before everyone started bursting out of those doors. Seconds before everything flashed in his eyes and sent them flying and crushed to their deaths. Minseok, with all the strength left in him willed himself to look up and around in search for the Mecha, now considering the images playing in his head seconds before they all met their doom.

 

Did Lay knew of this coming? Did he developed a heightened sense of hearing and overheard the scheme of blowing up at such a coincidental time where all the authorities of Mechatron gathered in one place? No. Minseok doesn’t believe – doesn’t want to believe – that the rebels would go far into Civil War to prove a point against Mechas. But right now…

 

How much did this extraordinary Mecha knew about the truth behind this bombing?

 

Darkness starts to close around his vision. His hearing starts to blur, save for the pitter-patter of rain on the rubble and debris around him. He heaves a breath and chuckles. _‘Guess I won’t be able to know huh?’_

 

In the distance, Minseok could decipher the sirens from ambulances and robocops being dispatched. He could see in his head what the news headlines will look like: _‘The People has declared War on the Capitol”_. His comrade was right, _Civil War_ is coming and he failed to prevent it.

 

He failed preventing Civil War. He failed reuniting The People and Mechatron, to share his views on how to make the world a better place. He failed to – he failed to tell Baekhyun that he…

 

Minseok finally gives in and makes a loud, gut-wrenching laugh even if it started to hurt him, he says almost desperately and bitterly, “If cancer can’t kill me, then the gods found a way to get rid of me faster. To end my miserable, pitiful life” and then, he starts to tear up.

 

One big slap to the face as he realizes that, dying this way was more painful for his lover to say goodbye. To die by accident, by murder than natural death. Minseok cries in helplessness as his fear of hurting and parting Baekhyun was slowly coming true as his vision blurs and the heavy rain drowns him in his misery.

 

And then, as he was about to accept his fate, he hears a familiar voice, far away.

 

**“Marco!”**

 

Baekhyun.

 

Minseok smiles sadly as he hears him. Maybe the gods doesn’t actually hate him. They’re giving him a chance to see him…one last time.

 

_“…Polo”_ he exhales softly, gathering his strength to yell.

 

**“MARCO!”** the voice was more frantic and desperate now.

 

_“Polo”_

 

**“M A R C O !”**

 

_“POLO!”_ it was hard, but he managed to let his voice be heard.

 

It was an ache so deep that Minseok could hardly breathe. This pain, he could hardly imagine if Baekhyun finds him, but he kept going. Baekhyun needs to find him, one last time. All he could do now, was believe in himself that he could do it.

 

But even as he screamed, Baekhyun’s voice went farther away from where he was. He failed as Baekhyun trudged to another direction from him. Fearing that he would slip away any moment now, Minseok cries louder, harder.

 

_“Is anyone there!?”_ Minseok calls out, his eyes closed tight, tight. _“Help me!”_

 

But Baekhyun kept calling, unable to hear him as the sirens drowned his own voice.

 

_How could this happen. How could this happen to me. How come do I have to suffer this kind of torture? This isn’t fair, this nightmare!_

 

_“Help me breathe”_ Minseok coughs, another pool of blood pumping out of his mouth and everything was falling silent, his eyes dimming the world around him. _No, no, no, not yet please!_

 

_God help me. God help me breathe._

 

A miracle had him smiling inside as the world reverted a little brighter as the familiar grip on the back of his head lifts him up to press against the warmth of someone’s chest. Baekhyun had found him at last. Minseok felt embarrassed to have his lover see him like this but gods, he was so glad that he was here in his final moments while he still had strength left. Minseok said nothing, instead he relished being in Baekhyun’s arms, melting away the cold from his drenched body.

 

He could hear Baekhyun murmur, “Gods, gods this can’t be happening. No, no this is a dream. A _Nightmare_!”

 

“Baek…puppy…” he whispers, catching Baekhyun’s attention.

 

“You’re going to be okay. You’re going to be okay just…just hang in there” Baekhyun clasped both his palms on each side of Minseok’s face, a little relieved that he was still alive until the grave understanding that he might not be in any second longer overpowered over him.

 

Baekhyun screams. “Help! Somebody help us!” No one came.

 

Desperate to save him, Baekhyun positions himself and pushed the wall on top of Minseok – he couldn’t. Baekhyun turns around to use his back and feet for more force and strength, but such a large chunk, he couldn’t move it alone.

 

The coughs from Minseok alerted Baekhyun to hurry onto his side once more. Baekhyun says brokenly, “Fight it Minseok. Fight it for a little while and we’ll get you out of here I promise!”

 

His coughing got worse and all Baekhyun could do was watch and let the tears water down onto Minseok’s already soaked face.

 

“Don’t…don’t leave me Minseok” Baekhyun sobs quietly. “Don’t leave me”

 

His heart twisted, Minseok felt nauseated hearing Baekhyun like this. He couldn’t handle the hardships both of them were going through right now that he thought telling him he had cancer seemed easier now.

 

Is this the karma he gets after keeping secrets from Baekhyun? Minseok sighs in defeat.

 

Minseok could feel himself slip away. He could hear a familiar faint voice in the distance. One who had raised him, cared for him and sang lullabies to him when he was still small. Someone was come to pick him up. It was time.

 

_Time’s ticking._

 

“Baekhyun” he finally says and Baekhyun nods to let him know he was listening. “…I was wondering…even in my last moments…”

 

“Don’t say that…” Baekhyun intervenes but Minseok cuts him off.

 

“My body is broken. I can no longer move”

 

Baekhyun shook his head. “We can fix that. Mechatron can help you stand up. Your advanced technology and-“ but the way Minseok’s eyes stared at him, _into_ him, into his soul said otherwise.

 

“I’m dying Baekhyun” and both their worlds shattered around them. Nothing else mattered. Just the remaining words Minseok had to tell Baekhyun.

 

_Time’s Ticking._

 

Thinking of departing messages to one person was much worse than standing in front of millions in TV and giving a speech.

 

“Baek…” Minseok starts off. “…earlier this morning…I was meaning to ask you something…”  Baekhyun stills in his place. “…in my pockets, you’ll find something there. I…I was hoping you’d wear it for me…as I have worn mine” he coughs gently and continues with a sad smile, “Will you...?”

 

Understanding what it was, Baekhyun breaks down and buries his face onto the piece of bear chest saved from the wall. He nods and sobs louder, “A million lifetimes yes”

 

Now Minseok found himself laughing and crying. “You said yes!”

 

“Will I ever say no to you, you dummy?” it would have been said in a teasing way, but Baekhyun couldn’t manage to sound any pleasant. He feared, he may not ever be pleasant anymore now that Minseok was-

 

“I wish we had more time together” the world vanished in his vision and darkness consumed Minseok as his whole life flashed across. His childhood, his achievements, his patients, Do Kyungsoo, Junmyeon, Lay, the Rebellion, Sehun and of course, Baekhyun, the warmest memory he will carry on to the next life.

 

“I’ll be with you Baekhyun. I’ll be everywhere and look after you” he heaved one last breath as his soul slowly drifts away. “…I’ll be with you. Even if my heart stops…beating…”

 

And then, a strong embrace around his head, Baekhyun rocks the both of them gently until he bursts out screaming. Despair, helplessness, _pain, **loss.**  _As if he too died along with Minseok.


	10. Chapter Nine

** CHAPTER NINE **

* * *

 

Six months have passed. Many things have changed since then.

 

From the aftermath of the explosion, the Capitol has declared The People as a threat. An Enemy. The already existing gap between the two opposing sides grew into what they call now as The Great Divide. The Capitol has dispatched an order to have a wall be built around the city and stationed men to scout the area while their new Roboguards be on patrol, making sure that no _outsider_ can breach the wall. Anyone who were not Capitol-born were considered as their target practice. _Nobodies_.

 

The peace Kim Minseok wished, never came true.

 

With the absence of one of their leading scientists, Dr. Kim Junmyeon worked alone. Many have said that they rarely see him anywhere within Mechatron. They couldn’t blame him for disappearing like this. One of his valued friend, a friend he called his _brother_ , was gone.

 

As for Byun Baekhyun…

* * *

 

 

It was raining again Kim Jongdae thought, driving along the road where all the buildings and Mechatron-produced mechas seemed to fade until the asphalted and motion-sensitive roads were erased by dirt and mud. Grasslands appeared with trees swaying in the wind and a bleak sky came into vision.

 

He parks under the shade of an oaken tree. Jongdae stares blankly at the tree’s trunk, letting the pitter-patter of rain fill the silence in his ears. He turns, grabs the bouquet of flowers sitting on the passenger’s seat and with a huff, he gets out of the car. He quickly goes to his trunk, takes out a disc and sets it into _hover mode_. The disc twists before opening up like a flower in bloom. The umbrella flies a foot above his head, hovering like a saucer to protect him from the rain.

 

This had been his routine every Sunday, ever since the bombing of The Court in the Capitol. Kim Jongdae, a teacher in a small nursery and a long-time friend vowed to always come here to visit his old friend.

 

He takes a few steps, not caring that his shoes were now stained with mud when he catches a glimpse of someone wearing such a bright yellow sweater amidst his destination. He knew well who that was, and he couldn’t help but take in a long breath of air as he approached.

 

It was Byun Baekhyun. The face of the Capitol, a fashion model and sometimes, a singer, standing in front of a lonely white marbled tombstone. His hands were in his pockets, his whole right side body drenched in the rain an indication that he’s been here for a long time, maybe since early this morning. Jongdae wasn’t surprised. Baekhyun _always_ came here, talking to _him_.

 

It was unceremonious for a tombstone to be here outside of the city’s official cemetery. To have such an ancient tradition of burying the dead under the soil was eyebrow raising to most wherein in the present, deceased loved ones were kept in a capsule in a large white room where families could visit the well-preserved bodies of their dead in the Capitol’s Cemetery. Others, such as those cremated are kept in glass orbs either to be taken home or to be sent into the cremation hall.

 

But this was Baekhyun’s decision. He knew that Minseok would’ve liked this, being one with nature where Baekhyun believed Minseok could stare up in the sky freely, outside of any building or capsule if he were a ghost. Minseok always loved watching the stars, he used to try to count them when he wanted to sleep. Baekhyun thought he would’ve wanted that.

 

_Here lies Kim Minseok._

_In memory of a valuable and loving friend,_

_Extraordinary and an exemplary Doctor who dedicated his life for science, the welfare of the Capitol and the lives of its citizens,_

_A beautiful soul who is now at peace in the Lord’s haven._

 

The tombstone read.

 

He remembered the time he went with Baekhyun to arrange those carvings on his tombstone. Baekhyun wanted to keep it simple. He knew Minseok would’ve wanted that, but the carvers were unsatisfied, knowing the prodigy such as Kim Minseok should be glorified even in death. So, they etched those words and delivered them three days after his burial.

 

As Jongdae approached, creating a large splash when he slipped into one of those ruddy puddles, Baekhyun abruptly turns his head and spots him. Jongdae couldn’t tell whether those were tears in his eyes or were they just created by the rain? They could be a mixture of both he thought.

 

“Hey” Baekhyun says softly.

 

“Hey” Jongdae says back with a small smile. “I brought some flowers”

 

Baekhyun eyes the flowers, his brows twisting up and politely says, “You really should’nt have-“

 

“No worries, it’s fine. I just thought Minseok would’ve liked it”

 

Jongdae draws closer and sets the flowers down to rest in front of the tombstone. He brushes his palm on the round corners, feeling the smooth texture of the marble as if he could look for any lingering glimpse of Minseok’s life force; as if he could hear echoes of his voice, yet there was none but the cold façade of the stone, wet from the pouring rain.

 

“Hey there bud,” he speaks softly, “I brought these flowers for you. I hope you like it”

 

Once declining from his crouch, he stands beside Baekhyun for a while in silence. The cold air’s breeze nips on their bare necks, the rain no sign in stopping.

 

Baekhyun then tilts his head up into the heavens, closed his eyes and dismissed the hovering umbrella disc above him until it reduced itself into a small cube in his hands. Jongdae quickly offers his umbrella disc, but was immediately refused by Baekhyun who spreads his hands and relished in the rain.

 

“What are you doing? You’re going to get sick you know” Jongdae says and he only got a laugh from him.

 

“That’s what Minseok says too” he laughs, remembering the time he ran away from him while being chased with an umbrella a few hours just before -

 

Baekhyun drops his arms. “I just wish…” he sighs, “I just wish I didn’t let him go that day…I could’ve…he could’ve…”

 

“It’s not your fault Baek”

 

“I know…it’s just that…” he now opens his eyes, hoping the rain drops could conceal the new batch of tears filling his eyes. “I could’ve saved him from that disaster, you know?”

 

“Nobody could’ve known what was going to happen. Unless you’re a fortune teller that is with some hocus-pocus jamboree” Jongdae frowns.

 

“I know…”

 

Jongdae looks at Baekhyun, full of sympathy before closing his own umbrella disc and mimics him.

 

“Hmmm. This does feel nice” Jongdae says. “Cool, refreshing”

 

“Free”

 

Jongdae remains still, waiting for Baekhyun to say more about his definition of being _free._ All he knows, that his friend was trapped in misery. He couldn’t blame him.

 

* * *

 

 

Jongdae had offered Baekhyun a ride home – after a considerable amount of persuasion. When they got to his humble home, Jongdae had excused himself and drove off. As he got farther away from Minseok and Baekhyun’s home, he couldn’t help but feel sorry for Baekhyunm watching him from his sideview mirrors.

 

_‘Sunshine’s been snuffed out from his lovely face’_ was all he could think of whenever he sees him. _‘He really did die that day too’_

 

Jongdae knew Baekhyun had stashed away all of Minseok’s belongings and kept them in the attic where he vowed never to limb up there ever again. Their house was also empty, one would say it looked like a newly-made house for everything reminded Baekhyun of Minseok. From the rug they bought together to the lamp sitting in the living room. All of it, discarded from their home – _his home._

 

Baekhyun also hid their music albums. They both loved collecting vintage stuff and had them play in a record player, but now, Baekhyun refrains from ever dropping by any music store. The once music-filled house was now dead silent. No music was played unless Baekhyun watches from their hologram TV. Even their favourite musical _Wicked_ was long gone.

 

He no longer cooks too. He used to be a great chef, but now, he only goes out to eat either with friends to distract him from his misery or by himself where he would wallow in it. No wonder he was getting thinner by the weeks passing by.

 

The decline of Byun Baekhyun. Jongdae shook his head in pity.

 

With Junmyeon gone, there was nobody there to help him help Baekhyun stand back up on his feet. There was nothing they could do.

 

“What to do, what to do to help a friend?”

 

* * *

 

 

“You, intern” a scientist barks at a young girl by the corner.

 

“Y-yes sir?” replies the girl.

 

“Don’t look so frightened,” the scientist says. “Fetch me three of those Topaz Crystals in the Laboratories in the West Wing would you?”

 

“Right away sir” she bows in response and goes on her way.

 

She looks left and then to the right and had her head down all the time, letting her superiors mind their own business and to completely ignore that _Lim Nayeon_ the intern doesn’t exist.

 

_‘Keep it together Nayeon’_ a mantra to herself. _‘But damn, I really hate my boss. If only Mechatron wasn’t such a big deal to my resume that I took an internship here…’_

 

“You”

 

_Crap._

 

Nayeon slowly looks up from the floor and notices something peculiar about this certain scientist in front of her. Her heart started racing not because of her constant fear from her superiors but because what she saw in front of her eyes was the most extraordinary and the most impossible thing she ever beheld.

 

_‘I-it can’t be!?’_ her jaw dropped, eyes growing wide and the words failed to escape her mouth as she now understood that the person in front of her was not an apparition.

 

It was real. _He_ was real.

 

“Dr. Kim Minseok!?”

 

* * *

 

  
  
**AUTHOR'S NOTES:** Sorry for not being to update in sooo long :((

 

**Author's Note:**

> THIS IS GOING TO BE A SLOW-PACED STORY. SO PLEASE, BEAR WITH ME ON THIS <3
> 
> I am such a sucker for Xiubaek. I can't get enough of them and we need more XiuBaek AUs and stories out there! Authors please gather around and make more!
> 
>  
> 
> By the way, I want to THANK EVERYONE who supported my XiuBaek fics and also my other EXO x OC fics.


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